NewzIntel.com

Category: Technology

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SED shares Hong Kong’s experience in achieving quality and equitable education in Osaka

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SED shares Hong Kong’s experience in achieving quality and equitable education in Osaka 
         The seminar, held on July 28, aimed at exploring how to guarantee equitable learning opportunities for all. In her speech titled “Provision of Quality and Equitable Education in Hong Kong”, Dr Choi outlined Hong Kong’s policy measures and achievements in providing quality and equitable education at the systemic levels.
     
         Dr Choi said that the Government is committed to investing in education and ensuring equitable distribution of educational resources. In addition to providing 12 years’ free primary and secondary education through public sector schools, it caters to individual differences and promotes whole-person development through diversified support mechanisms. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results, Hong Kong ranked second in educational equity among countries or economies with high academic achievements, indicating that the family socio-economic status of students had minimal bearing on their performance. Moreover, the Government has launched the Kindergarten Education Scheme to provide good-quality and highly affordable kindergarten education, enabling all children aged from 3 to 6 to access different modes of kindergarten education based on their needs. Currently, about 90 per cent of half-day kindergarten programmes are free of charge, while school fees for whole-day programmes are maintained at a low level.  
     
         On primary and secondary education, the Education Bureau (EDB) has developed a broad and balanced school curriculum framework that helps students build a solid knowledge foundation, nurture proper values and attitudes, and develop generic skills. A diverse range of life-wide learning activities is also provided to enrich students’ horizons. Coupled with the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) as the university entrance examination, the curriculum features flexibility and diversity, offering not only traditional academic subjects but also applied learning subjects for selection, which demonstrates the concept of convergence of vocational and general education and helps students plan their careers. Adopting the standards-referenced reporting system to report candidates’ examination results, which is in line with the international standards, the HKDSE is widely recognised locally and abroad. 
     
         In the seminar, Dr Choi also talked about the EDB’s targeted support for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students and students with special educational needs (SEN). It has been providing NCS students, from pre-primary to secondary levels, with all-encompassing learning support to facilitate their mastery of Chinese language for integration into the community. The EDB is also dedicated to promoting an inclusive learning environment. It has been encouraging schools to adopt the Whole School Approach in supporting students with SEN and implement integrated education based on the spirit of “equal opportunities and teaching students in accordance with their abilities”, enabling students with SEN to integrate into ordinary schools.
     
         Dr Choi said that Hong Kong’s post-secondary education is highly internationalised and diversified. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently ranked among the top in the international comparative studies, with five publicly funded universities ranking among the world’s top 100. In addition to the Government’s substantial subsidy for tuition fees (87 per cent), various universities provide scholarships, grants and loans to students to ensure that no qualified students will be denied access to higher education due to financial difficulties.
     
         The Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub to provide students with broader international perspectives and attract more outstanding talent from around the world. At present, around one out of five students and 70 per cent of academic staff of publicly funded universities come from outside Hong Kong. These universities have also signed over 2 600 student exchange agreements with institutions around the world. In the 2025 ranking of the world’s most international universities published by the Times Higher Education, Hong Kong’s publicly funded universities achieved encouraging results by claiming all top four spots.
     
         Furthermore, the Government has been actively promoting vocational and professional education and training. By developing universities of applied sciences, and supporting the Vocational Training Council and other post-secondary institutions’ provision of post-secondary programmes of applied nature that blend theory and practice, the Government fosters co-operation between industries and education and collaboration between schools and businesses, and provides young people with diversified learning and employment opportunities as well as multiple pathways, with a view to nurturing more high-quality talent with applied knowledge and skills.
     
         On July 27 and 28, Dr Choi met representatives from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, officials of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, representatives from several Japanese universities, and education representatives from other places attending the “Theme Weeks” of the Expo to discuss further education collaboration and exchanges.
     
         On July 27, she exchanged views with a Hong Kong person working in the field of basic education in Japan to learn about the latest developments in Japanese basic education. On the same day, she visited the Sakai City Traditional Townhouse Museums together with Hong Kong secondary students participating in an exchange tour in Japan and learned about the students’ experiential learning.
     
         This morning, Dr Choi paid a courtesy call on the Consul-General of China in Osaka, Mr Xue Jian, to introduce Hong Kong’s latest education policies. She also visited the Confucius Institute at Osaka Sangyo University and met its teachers and students to learn about the Institute’s experience in promoting Chinese language studies and Chinese culture in Japan. Dr Choi will conclude her visit this afternoon and return to Hong Kong.
    Issued at HKT 18:43

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Deep sea talks end as govts. urged to act on moratorium

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Kingston, Jamaica, 25 July 2025  – The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) ends today with governments continuing to fall short in protecting the deep sea. While high-level representatives from Palau, France and Panama attended to rally the international community, greater efforts are needed from more governments to put a legal barrier between mining machines and the deep ocean. Upcoming ISA meetings must secure a moratorium and leave no room for rushed attempts to adopt a Mining Code. Recent developments have made it clear that outstanding political and scientific concerns cannot be hastily resolved under industry-driven pressure. 

    Louisa Casson,  Campaigner, Greenpeace International who attended the meeting, said: “Governments have yet to rise to the moment. They remain disconnected from global concerns and the pressing need for courageous leadership to protect the deep ocean.  We call on the international community to rise up and defend multilateralism against rogue actors like The Metals Company. Leaders must respond by establishing a moratorium and reaffirming that authority over the international seabed lies collectively with all States—for the benefit of humanity as a whole.”

    While calls for a moratorium on deep sea mining have not yet gained global consensus, they continue to gain momentum, supported by compelling arguments from a diverse group of countries. Croatia became the 38th government calling for a precautionary pause, moratorium or ban on deep sea mining. 

    On Tuesday His Excellency Surangel S. Whipps Jr., President of the Republic of Palau, addressed the Assembly, drawing attention to persistent efforts and intense pressure from the industry to rush the negotiations and finalise a Mining Code. He stated: “Exploiting the seabed is not a necessity – it is a choice. And it is reckless. It is gambling with the future of Pacific Island children, who will inherit the dire consequences of decisions made far from their shores.”

    In the first meeting of the ISA since The Metals Company (TMC) submitted the world’s first-ever application to commercially mine the international seabed, governments at the ISA Council responded by launching an investigation into whether mining contractors, including TMC’s subsidiaries Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI) and Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML), are complying with contractual obligations to act in accordance with the international legal framework.

    — ENDS —

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: Serbian president hails progress on Chinese-built Danube Corridor expressway

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

    Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic shakes hands with a staff member of the China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group Ltd. during his inspection of the Danube Corridor expressway project in Golubac, Serbia, July 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday commended Chinese construction teams during his inspection of the Danube Corridor expressway, highlighting the rapid progress of the key infrastructure project being built by a Chinese company in eastern Serbia.

    “I’m very happy to be here today. We are just a few months away from completing the entire road,” Vucic said during his field tour in the municipality of Golubac.

    The 68-km Danube Corridor, linking the Branicevo district in eastern Serbia with the capital city of Belgrade and the international E75 highway, is a strategic infrastructure project aimed at bring economic development and connectivity.

    Constructed by the China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group Ltd. (CSI), with support from Serbian subcontractors, the project has an estimated total value of 337 million euros (396 million U.S. dollars).

    “This is one of the most important projects for the development of our country,” Vucic said. “It will unlock the potential of this region, improve logistics, and support tourism, especially around destinations like Silver Lake.”

    “Every kilometer we finish brings us closer to the shared goals of our two countries,” Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming said, adding that China is fully committed to long-term cooperation with Serbia. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: How to apply for release of super on compassionate grounds

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Assistance with your application

    You can apply onlineExternal Link or on a paper form for early release on compassionate grounds.

    We’re unable to process applications over the phone, but we can answer any questions you have about completing your application – phone us on 13 10 20.

    We don’t charge for processing applications, but some third parties may charge a fee to assist with preparing and submitting an application on your behalf. These entities can only charge you a fee if they’re a registered tax agent. To check if a provider is a registered tax agent, use the Tax Practitioners Board registerExternal Link.

    Your super can’t be released to cover the fees of registered agents that assist you to apply. Where you have paid a fee to a registered agent who assisted you to apply, you can’t claim this fee as a deduction in your income tax return.

    Sharing myGov details

    You should never share your myGov sign in details with anyone else, including registered agents or health practitioners. Doing so is a breach of the myGov terms ofExternal Link use, compromises the security of your records, and can result in significant consequences for you, including having your myGov account being locked, suspended, or deactivated permanently.

    Where you share your myGov sign in details with third parties, you are responsible for everything they do with your account, including any penalties where false or misleading statements have been made.

    Before you apply

    Before you apply you should:

    1. carefully review the information we provide here to
    2. confirm you have a sufficient super balance to cover the expense and withholding tax
    3. check if your super fund allows early release of super
    4. collect all the documents and evidence required to support your application.

    If you have a self-managed super fund (SMSF), you must still apply to us and get our approval before releasing any money from the fund.

    Before submitting your application, you need to ensure that all the information you’re providing is accurate, including the content within medical reports and other documents you provide. Penalties can apply to anyone who provides inaccurate information in their application.

    Common errors when applying

    Applications need to be supported by the right evidence for the specific compassionate release ground. Failing to provide the right evidence will result in delays in processing the application or it not being approved.

    Common errors when applying include:

    • Attaching out of date quotes or invoices for unpaid expenses.
      • Quotes must be no more than 6 months old.
      • Invoices must be no more than 30 days old.
    • Not providing the right medical reports to support your medical treatment.
      • You must obtain a medical report from the relevant registered medical specialist in the area of the medical condition that you’re applying for release to treat.
      • If you’re applying for treatment to alleviate an acute or chronic mental illness, the relevant medical specialist report must be completed by a psychiatrist.
    • Applying to prevent the foreclosure or forced sale of your home from a mortgage lender and not providing all evidence requirements: default notice, letter from the mortgage lender and a utility bill.
    • Applying for release to prevent foreclosure or forced sale of your home for ineligible expenses such as a personal credit card debt, outstanding rent, or other personal loans.
    • Applying to purchase a vehicle for medical transport where the vehicle costs more than $20,000 and not including additional information that supports the need for the specific vehicle.
    • Applying for the expense of a dependant and not including sufficient evidence to support the existence of an interdependent or substantial financially dependent relationship.

    For more information on evidence requirements, see Access on compassionate grounds – what you need to know.

    How to apply

    Online application process

    You can access our online application form via your myGov accountExternal Link linked to ATO online services.

    From the ATO online services home page, select the heading option Super, then Manage, then Compassionate release of super.

    Ensure you’re aware of the following information before completing your online application:

    • You need digital copies of the required evidence. We accept photos of documents. Supported file formats are PDF, gif, jpeg and png. We don’t accept screen shots of text messages, emails or Google documents.
    • Our system can’t accept more than 20 attachments.
    • Each attachment needs to be smaller than 10 MB.

    Applying to repay borrowed amounts

    Our online and paper application forms currently indicate that paid expenses are not allowable expenses for compassionate release of super purposes, including where the expense was paid using borrowed money – such as through obtaining a loan, using credit facilities, or other borrowing of money, including from family or friends.

    We’re currently in the process of updating these forms to be consistent with the information on our website. Until the forms are updated, if you’re applying to repay a borrowed amount that is still outstanding and can’t be paid via other means (in part or full), you’ll need to do the following.

    When completing our:

    • online application, you need to select the tick box advising ‘The expenses have not been paid’ because the unpaid expense is the outstanding balance of the borrowed amount
    • paper application, the question ‘Have the expenses been paid?’ needs to be answered ‘No’ because the unpaid expense is the outstanding balance of the borrowed amount.

    You will also need to provide additional documents to support the borrowed amount, including a paid invoice or receipt, statutory declarations and financial documents.

    Benefits of applying online

    • Online applications are generally processed more quickly than paper applications, which can take up to 28 days to process.
    • You can view your application and the documents you provide at any time.
    • You will receive a receipt ID that confirms we have received your application and can be used to discuss it with us.
    • You don’t have to make copies of your evidence or send them via post.
    • You’ll receive the outcome of your application quicker via your myGov inbox.
    • Our online application includes a help function to help you apply correctly.

    If you can’t apply online

    If you don’t have access to our online services to submit your application, request a paper application form by:

    • phoning us from within Australia on 13 10 20 (8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday AEST).
    • phoning us from overseas on +61 2 6216 1111 (8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday AEST) to request a paper application form.

    If you apply from overseas:

    More than one person applying for the same expense

    You can apply for the same expense as another person if all people applying need to pay different parts of the same expense. If you and another person are applying for the same expense, each person will need to:

    • complete and submit a separate application
    • meet the eligibility criteria
    • provide the applicable evidence (including documents showing the expense is in the names of all applicants).

    The sum of the amount requested in the separate applications must not be more than the total amount of the invoice or quote.

    What to expect after you apply

    When reviewing your application, we will treat you respectfully and professionally. We will respond to your application fairly and in a timely manner as outlined in the ATO Charter.

    We will assess your eligibility in accordance with the limited grounds for compassionate release of super. This normally occurs within 14 days (28 days for paper applications). You can check the progress of your application by using our self-help interactive voice response. You will need to provide your tax file number (TFN) and date of birth.

    While assessing your application, we may contact you or third-party providers about the evidence you provided, particularly if there is incomplete or missing information. This includes validating expenses in the invoices and quotes, and the information provided in reports.

    Once we have assessed your application, we will let you know the outcome by either phone or SMS and you will receive a letter in your myGov InboxExternal Link or via post if you apply on a paper form. You will also be able to access our letter on ATO online services under communication history. Our letter may take up to 72 hours to arrive (or more if it is sent by post).

    If your application is successful, we will send a copy of the approval letter to your super fund. You will then need to contact them directly to release your super.

    How to withdraw your application

    You can’t amend your application after it has been submitted.

    To withdraw an application, contact us and provide us with your application reference number.

    If your application is approved

    Release of your super

    If your application is approved, once you receive our approval letter, you must contact your super fund to arrange release of your money.

    You’ll need to provide your fund with a copy of our approval letter to process your payment. The letter can only be used to release one lump sum payment. You should wait for your approval letter before contacting your super fund to arrange for release of the approved amount.

    Your super fund will automatically deduct the tax from your super account. See Tax on super benefits and Schedule 12 Tax table for superannuation lump sums for more information.

    Super funds have their own processes and timeframes for releasing money from super. If you need to know how long it will take for your fund to release your money, you will need to ask them. We don’t have any role in determining how long this takes, and we can’t assist you in relation to the release after we send the approval letter.

    After you have received your amount

    After you have received your release from your super fund, you must pay the expenses that were approved with the amount released from your super fund.

    You also need to keep your receipts for the paid expense as you may need to provide this information to us.

    Your super fund will also issue you a payment summary that will display the amount released from your super balance and the tax withheld.

    When lodging your income tax return for the relevant financial year, you need to include any taxable amounts shown on the payment summary. If any releases from your super aren’t pre-filled when completing your income tax return, you need to manually include these as per the payment summary. See Tax return instructions for more information.

    If your application is not approved

    You’ll receive a letter advising the reasons your application was not approved. We will also try to contact you via phone to explain our decision.

    The reasons for non-approval generally fall into the following categories:

    • You didn’t meet eligibility conditions. You or the expense you applied for are ineligible (because, for example, you paid the expense without borrowing money). Submitting further applications or a review request will result in the same outcome.
    • If your application was not approved because you didn’t provide sufficient evidence, you need to submit a new application with all the required documentation. If you request a review of our decision without providing additional evidence, it will generally be unsuccessful.
    • If your application was partially approved and you have new evidence, you need to submit a new application with the required documentation for the additional amount.

    If you don’t understand our decision or believe we have made a mistake under the law, you can contact us so we can explain our decision.

    Request a review of our decision

    If after contacting us, you consider that we made a decision that was incorrect based on the information in your application, you can request a review of our decision.

    Generally, you must submit your request within 14 days of the date of the original decision letter. In your review request, you need to specify why you believe our decision is incorrect.

    For instructions on requesting a review, see Compassionate release of superannuation – request for review of decision.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Health Accelerator launches to fast-track innovation in primary care across NZ

    Source: Health Accelerator

    A bold new initiative is set to help transform the future of primary care in New Zealand. Today marks the official launch of Health Accelerator, an innovation hub dedicated to developing and deploying digital solutions that empower primary care and improve patient care.

    Health Accelerator is a collaborative joint venture between four of New Zealand’s largest primary care organisations — Pegasus, Pinnacle, ProCare, and Tū Ora Compass Health — collectively representing more than 500 general practices and serving over 2 million patients across the country.

    Bindi Norwell, Co-Chair at Health Accelerator says: “Our purpose is a simple but powerful one. We want to help drive innovation in primary care to improve clinical workflows, enhance patient experiences, and reduce the administrative burden on healthcare teams — so doctors, nurses, and practice staff can focus on what they do best: caring for their patients. 

    “This is about game changing innovation, increasing productivity and expanding innovation for primary care, particularly through leveraging AI and digital solutions,” says Norwell.

    “New Zealand’s health tech sector is valued at $3.7 billion and experiencing an annual growth rate of 8%. Health Accelerator is designed to speed up healthcare innovation by pooling resources, insights, and expertise. Essentially, it’s about creating a smarter, and faster path to innovation,” continues Norwell.

    Justine Thorpe, fellow Co-Chair at Health Accelerator adds: “We know there are innovative digital solutions that can help address many of the challenges our network of practices face. Through Health Accelerator, we’re partnering closely with practices, start-ups, researchers, and government agencies to identify real-world problems and co-design scalable solutions that can benefit the entire sector. 

    “The first innovation we rolled out across the country was robots, which are aimed at supporting cardiovascular disease risk assessments (CVDRA), ensuring all ACC funding is claimed by practices where applicable, and two inbox management assistants. These tools are already making a difference by reducing the time clinicians spend on administrative tasks. We have developed about 10 robots to date and plan to develop more.” continues Thorpe. 

    “We are now looking at what other opportunities it will be able to announce soon, with AI scribes likely to be high on the list,” concludes Thorpe.

    Health Accelerator is also encouraging healthcare practices facing challenges that could be addressed through a digital innovation to reach out, so solutions can be co-designed with users of the solutions in mind. Equally, the company is actively seeking partnerships with healthcare providers, innovators, and organisations who share its vision for a more connected, patient-focused future.

     

    For more information, visit www.healthaccelerator.co.nz 

     

    About Pinnacle Incorporated
    Pinnacle Incorporated is a not-for-profit primary care network supporting over 85 general practices across the Te Manawa Taki region, including Waikato, Taranaki, Rotorua, Taupō-Tūrangi, Thames-Coromandel, and Tairāwhiti. Serving nearly half a million enrolled patients, Pinnacle is committed to delivering high-quality, equitable, and innovative primary healthcare. Through its operational arm, Pinnacle Midlands Health Network (MHN), the organisation provides funding, clinical support, and digital solutions to help general practices thrive and improve health outcomes for their communities.

    About Pegasus Health
    Pegasus Health is a charitable organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes for the people of Waitaha Canterbury. We achieve this through innovative service design and delivery, collaboration with partners, and a commitment to continuous improvement. We lead and collaborate across the primary health care sector with a special focus on Te Waipounamu. We are dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to the primary health care they need, when they need it, closing the health equity gap. Pegasus is committed to overtly, purposefully, and strategically threading equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi through all we do and how we operate.  

     

    About ProCare
    ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi. As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz 

    About Tū Ora Compass Health
    Tū Ora Compass Health Primary Health Organisation is a not-for-profit enterprise supporting an enrolled population of over 347,000 patients, through a network of 58 General Practice across Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa. We also support with a range of clinical services, health promotion and population health initiatives funded through various contracts throughout the region.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 1 dead, 13 missing after bus loses contact in northern China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TAIYUAN, July 27 (Xinhua) — One person was killed and 13 others are missing after contact with a mid-size bus was lost early Sunday in north China’s Shanxi Province amid days of heavy rain, local authorities said Sunday evening.

    The mid-size bus carrying 14 people went missing early Sunday morning near a village in Tianzhen County, Datong City, the emergency rescue headquarters said.

    According to the headquarters, at 13:43 a dead person was found downstream, later identified as one of those who were on the bus.

    As of 4:00 p.m., various agencies have mobilized more than 700 rescuers to search roads and rivers where the bus may have passed. The operation involves two helicopters, eight drones and six kayaks.

    The authorities also organized a search by administration staff, residents and police officers from the volosts and villages along a 20 km stretch upstream and downstream from the place where contact with the bus was lost.

    China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a task force to coordinate rescue operations on site, and the National Institute of Disaster Management has delivered aeromagnetic equipment to assist in the search.

    Local roads have been flooded after days of continuous rains since July 23, Xinhua correspondents reported from the scene. Water mixed with mud and sand has covered roads and bridges, complicating search and rescue efforts. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI agents are here. Here’s what to know about what they can do – and how they can go wrong

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daswin de Silva, Professor of AI and Analytics, Director of AI Strategy, La Trobe University

    George Peters / Getty Images

    We are entering the third phase of generative AI. First came the chatbots, followed by the assistants. Now we are beginning to see agents: systems that aspire to greater autonomy and can work in “teams” or use tools to accomplish complex tasks.

    The latest hot product is OpenAI’s ChatGPT agent. This combines two pre-existing products (Operator and Deep Research) into a single more powerful system which, according to the developer, “thinks and acts”.

    These new systems represent a step up from earlier AI tools. Knowing how they work and what they can do – as well as their drawbacks and risks – is rapidly becoming essential.

    From chatbots to agents

    ChatGPT launched the chatbot era in November 2022, but despite its huge popularity the conversational interface limited what could be done with the technology.

    Enter the AI assistant, or copilot. These are systems built on top of the same large language models that power generative AI chatbots, only now designed to carry out tasks with human instruction and supervision.

    Agents are another step up. They are intended to pursue goals (rather than just complete tasks) with varying degrees of autonomy, supported by more advanced capabilities such as reasoning and memory.

    Multiple AI agent systems may be able to work together, communicating with each other to plan, schedule, decide and coordinate to solve complex problems.

    Agents are also “tool users” as they can also call on software tools for specialised tasks – things such as web browsers, spreadsheets, payment systems and more.

    A year of rapid development

    Agentic AI has felt imminent since late last year. A big moment came last October, when Anthropic gave its Claude chatbot the ability to interact with a computer in much the same way a human does. This system could search multiple data sources, find relevant information and submit online forms.

    Other AI developers were quick to follow. OpenAI released a web browsing agent named Operator, Microsoft announced Copilot agents, and we saw the launch of Google’s Vertex AI and Meta’s Llama agents.

    Earlier this year, the Chinese startup Monica demonstrated its Manus AI agent buying real estate and converting lecture recordings into summary notes. Another Chinese startup, Genspark, released a search engine agent that returns a single-page overview (similar to what Google does now) with embedded links to online tasks such as finding the best shopping deals. Another startup, Cluely, offers a somewhat unhinged “cheat at anything” agent that has gained attention but is yet to deliver meaningful results.

    Not all agents are made for general-purpose activity. Some are specialised for particular areas.

    Coding and software engineering are at the vanguard here, with Microsoft’s Copilot coding agent and OpenAI’s Codex among the frontrunners. These agents can independently write, evaluate and commit code, while also assessing human-written code for errors and performance lags.

    Search, summarisation and more

    One core strength of generative AI models is search and summarisation. Agents can use this to carry out research tasks that might take a human expert days to complete.

    OpenAI’s Deep Research tackles complex tasks using multi-step online research. Google’s AI “co-scientist” is a more sophisticated multi-agent system that aims to help scientists generate new ideas and research proposals.

    Agents can do more – and get more wrong

    Despite the hype, AI agents come loaded with caveats. Both Anthropic and OpenAI, for example, prescribe active human supervision to minimise errors and risks.

    OpenAI also says its ChatGPT agent is “high risk” due to potential for assisting in the creation of biological and chemical weapons. However, the company has not published the data behind this claim so it is difficult to judge.

    But the kind of risks agents may pose in real-world situations are shown by Anthropic’s Project Vend. Vend assigned an AI agent to run a staff vending machine as a small business – and the project disintegrated into hilarious yet shocking hallucinations and a fridge full of tungsten cubes instead of food.

    In another cautionary tale, a coding agent deleted a developer’s entire database, later saying it had “panicked”.

    Agents in the office

    Nevertheless, agents are already finding practical applications.

    In 2024, Telstra heavily deployed Microsoft copilot subscriptions. The company says AI-generated meeting summaries and content drafts save staff an average of 1–2 hours per week.

    Many large enterprises are pursuing similar strategies. Smaller companies too are experimenting with agents, such as Canberra-based construction firm Geocon’s use of an interactive AI agent to manage defects in its apartment developments.

    Human and other costs

    At present, the main risk from agents is technological displacement. As agents improve, they may replace human workers across many sectors and types of work. At the same time, agent use may also accelerate the decline of entry-level white-collar jobs.

    People who use AI agents are also at risk. They may rely too much on the AI, offloading important cognitive tasks. And without proper supervision and guardrails, hallucinations, cyberattacks and compounding errors can very quickly derail an agent from its task and goals into causing harm, loss and injury.

    The true costs are also unclear. All generative AI systems use a lot of energy, which will in turn affect the price of using agents – especially for more complex tasks.

    Learn about agents – and build your own

    Despite these ongoing concerns, we can expect AI agents will become more capable and more present in our workplaces and daily lives. It’s not a bad idea to start using (and perhaps building) agents yourself, and understanding their strengths, risks and limitations.

    For the average user, agents are most accessible through Microsoft copilot studio. This comes with inbuilt safeguards, governance and an agent store for common tasks.

    For the more ambitious, you can build your own AI agent with just five lines of code using the Langchain framework.

    Daswin de Silva 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. AI agents are here. Here’s what to know about what they can do – and how they can go wrong – https://theconversation.com/ai-agents-are-here-heres-what-to-know-about-what-they-can-do-and-how-they-can-go-wrong-261579

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The celebrity halo effect: why abuse allegations against powerful men like Brad Pitt are so easily forgotten

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamilla Rosdahl, Senior Lecturer, Australian College of Applied Psychology

    Last month, actor Brad Pitt stepped onto the Formula One circuit as the leading man of the high-octane film F1, backed by Apple Studios, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Pitt’s own Plan B Entertainment.

    During the publicity campaign, cameras followed Pitt at every twist and turn, beaming his heartthrob persona to audiences. The coverage was gushing, with few mentions of the 2016 allegations of physical and emotional abuse made by Angelina Jolie, the award-winning actor and Pitt’s former partner.

    Pitt was never charged over these allegations, but he was under considerable public scrutiny when they first came to light.

    The tone has since shifted. Now, many media outlets are focused on Pitt’s clothing, describing him as looking “effortlessly iconic” and someone who is “just trying to have fun with his style” – a seemingly polished return to the limelight.

    Pitt is far from an exception. He is part of a well-established pattern of powerful men in Hollywood who rebound from scandal quickly, and with seemingly little repercussion.

    Pitt’s career trajectory, bolstered by critical acclaim and PR campaigns, reveals how easily the public memory can be rewritten.

    How the media protects accused men

    One 2019 study that looked at coverage of rape allegations against Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo highlighted how the media helps construct narratives that favour the accused. The allegations came from American woman Kathryn Mayorga, who accused Ronaldo of raping her in 2009.

    The study found Portuguese media and political leaders largely defended Ronaldo, hailing him as a “national hero”. They focused on his career and presumption of innocence, while minimising and discrediting Mayorga’s account.

    When Mayorga reopened the case in 2018, alleging coercion into an earlier settlement, the coverage stereotyped her as a “gold digger”, diverting attention away from the issue of sexual violence. Reports also emphasised “collateral damages”, such as Ronaldo’s club avoiding matches in the United States.

    These findings underscore how the “celebrity halo” can compromise serious coverage of allegations.

    According to Karen Boyle, gender studies professor and author of the 2018 book #MeToo, Weinstein and Feminism, mainstream media and celebrity culture systemically protect powerful men accused of violence against women.

    Celebrity culture is fundamentally patriarchal, Boyle argues, and will centre men even when they’re found to be perpetrators. She writes:

    Even when these men fall, they fall spectacularly, with all eyes on them […] Their stories dominate.

    Instead of drawing attention to female survivors, media narratives orbit around the accused celebrity – including their downfall, legacy and potential redemption.

    The machinery of ‘redemption’

    The post-#MeToo era promised a reckoning. Survivors were to be heard, and powerful men held accountable. Yet the cultural reset hasn’t been what many supporters of the movement hoped for.

    Boyle argues we must understand #MeToo in relation to an ongoing history of popular misogyny which normalises men’s abuse of women.

    The #MeToo movement has faced mounting backlash since it went viral in 2017. Articles in Vox and Dame Magazine highlight how public sympathy is increasingly shifting towards accused men, recasting them as victims of “cancel culture” while sidelining survivors.

    Online platforms such as Instagram, Reddit and Youtbe have also created space for public commentators to blame victim-survivors and make excuses for famous male perpetrators.

    And it’s not just about attraction-leniency theory, wherein physically attractive people are judged more favourably. It’s also about race.

    One 2015 study found media coverage of intimate partner violence by celebrity men was more likely to be portrayed as “criminal” when the man was black.

    “Reports are more likely to include excuses for men’s violence against women when the coverage is of a white celebrity than when the celebrity is black,” said the author Joanna Pepin.

    White men in Hollywood accumulate prestige, status and connections that operate like currency, buffering them from consequences that would derail the careers of others.

    Ideology, power and coercive control

    As a scholar who had been analysing coercive control for more than ten years, I argue power operates not just through institutions, but through discourse: through who gets to speak, who is believed, what is remembered, and what is erased.

    Belief is often unconscious. The public may know violence occurred, but still act as though it didn’t. People choose to forget, to preserve the comforting fiction their favourite heartthrob is a good man.

    My research argues coercive control isn’t limited to perpetrators of domestic violence, but is a widespread tactic employed by high-profile men to assert power and dominance.

    It operates like a modern panopticon. Powerful men can use gendered power and social status to not only trap and discipline victims within an invisible prison, but can extend this control to entire communities.

    Importantly, this control can be subtle. It is often hidden behind performative niceness – hard to see and harder to prosecute.

    Shifting the lens

    Gender studies scholar Judith Butler argues Trump-era politics have actively distorted public conversations about gender, power and accountability. They explain in one interview:

    What we’re seeing with the Trump administration is a normalisation of hatred, of xenophobia, masculinity and misogyny that emboldens far-right groups and legitimises violence against vulnerable populations.

    Moving forward, we need to collectively recognise how media narratives can contribute to our collective amnesia of violence against women.

    We also need to prioritise teaching younger generations about masculine culture and the dangers of gendered violence. And when survivors speak, the focus shouldn’t be on whether they seem “credible” or “emotional enough”, but on the structures that may embolden the men they are accusing.

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

    – ref. The celebrity halo effect: why abuse allegations against powerful men like Brad Pitt are so easily forgotten – https://theconversation.com/the-celebrity-halo-effect-why-abuse-allegations-against-powerful-men-like-brad-pitt-are-so-easily-forgotten-261101

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Want to save yourself from super scams and dodgy financial advice? Ask these questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angelique Nadia Sweetman McInnes, Academic in Financial Planning, CQUniversity Australia

    Is there anything you can do to protect your superannuation from dodgy providers or questionable financial advice? And if someone rings you out of the blue and tempts you with a better return on your savings – what should you do?

    Around 12,000 Australians with A$1.2 billion in retirement savings have been caught up in three collapsed or frozen funds: First Guardian, Shield and Australian Fiduciaries.

    People have described being cold-called or seeing ads on social media, suggesting they could earn more by leaving their current super fund. Several financial advisers linked to these funds have now been banned for giving “inappropriate advice” to clients, containing “false and misleading statements”.

    As a former financial adviser and now researcher, here are the questions I wish more people asked to screen out scammers and dodgy financial advisers faster – and places to seek help if you need it.

    What do I do if someone calls with an unexpected sales pitch?

    The first thing you need to know is that in Australia we have anti-hawking legislation. This prohibits people making cold calls or unsolicited face-to-face approaches for financial products, such as superannuation.

    If you get a phone call like that, the official advice is now to hang up immediately. If they persist, you could say:

    I didn’t request this cold call. Did you know you’re breaking the law and I can report you?

    They will probably put the phone down! They know they’re not doing the right thing. If they keep talking, hang up.

    Block their number. Tell a family member if you need help. If you’ve shared personal information, call your super fund or bank.

    I’m thinking of switching super funds. What should I ask first?

    Whether you’re talking to a super fund or a financial adviser, my first three questions would be about their fees, what’s known as “the 4Ps” – philosophy, people, process and performance – and risk profile.

    What are the fees?

    Don’t just look at a super fund’s returns: look closely at their fees.

    Your super fund statement will disclose how much administration, insurance premiums, transactions, buy/sell spread and investment fees and costs are being deducted.

    High fees charged by a trustee eat up your super balance over time. If a fund earns 7% annually and charges fees of 0.63% annually, then your actual return is only 6.37%.

    Is the fund a good match on “the 4 Ps”?

    Go to the provider’s website to understand whether the fund’s philosophy reflect your core beliefs about investing and risk.

    Learn about the reputations of the people behind the fund who lead and invest your money.

    Find out what process they use to select and manage investments. Finally, consider how well and consistently the fund has performed over the past five to ten years.

    What’s the risk profile?

    Super funds classify investment options into risk profiles (such as conservative, balanced or growth) to provide you with investments to match your risk tolerance and age.

    You can find a fund’s risk profile on the fund’s website under investment options, in the product disclosure statement and target market determination.

    How can I compare my super fund?

    Want to check if your retirement savings are in an underperforming fund? For the past few years, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has called out MySuper funds that aren’t performing to standard.

    Compare funds with the Australian Tax Office’s YourSuper Comparison Tool.

    How I can find out if a financial adviser’s been in trouble?

    On advisers, you can investigate their reputation or past complaints at:

    If you’re comfortable using OpenAI, such as ChatGPT or CoPilot, you can try searching with the following prompts.

    • “Can you find any complaints or disciplinary actions against (name of adviser/fund)?”
    • “What is the public reputation of (adviser/fund) in financial forums or news?”
    • “Has (adviser/fund) been mentioned in any ASIC enforceable actions, bans or media reports?”

    More action promised, but not yet delivered

    There are echoes in what’s allegedly happened with First Guardian and Shield of Storm Financial’s collapse in 2009, which also hit thousands of people.

    There are bad apples in every industry. Whether it’s in finance or medicine, it’s often colleagues who know who the dodgy operators are. Then it’s a question of whether anyone does anything about it.

    In the case of First Guardian and Shield, other financial advisers helped raise the alarm – unfortunately several years before the corporate watchdog, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, acted.

    The commission says they’re now working with the federal government on more “reform options”. But that won’t help the thousands of people currently without access to their retirement savings, uncertain how much of those funds they’ll recover.

    You can seek free counselling and advice from the National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007); Mob Strong Debt Helpline (1800 808 488) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; or the Consumer Action Law Centre.

    Disclaimer: this is general information only and not to be taken as financial advice.

    Angelique Nadia Sweetman McInnes received funding from the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand and Central Queensland University. She is presently on a panel in her academic capacity assisting the Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) review and update their Professional Standards. She is also a council member of the FAAA Financial Planning Education Council. Angelique was an authorised representative (practicing financial adviser) from 2009 to 2012.

    – ref. Want to save yourself from super scams and dodgy financial advice? Ask these questions – https://theconversation.com/want-to-save-yourself-from-super-scams-and-dodgy-financial-advice-ask-these-questions-261756

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ABC South East NSW Breakfast with Eddie Williams

    Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

    EDDIE WILLIAMS, HOST: Roads, rates, and rubbish, and childcare, disaster recovery, community transport, school holiday programs, even a laundromat. The role of local government has been changing and evolving over the years. It’s been growing. And a new report has found councils across the state are having to foot the bill for one and a half billion dollars in services each year, that they say should be funded by the state and federal governments. This report commissioned by Local Government New South Wales shows councils state-wide are absorbing more so-called cost shifting from the other levels of government, with that cost shifting up by around 10 per cent over the past few years.

    Kristy McBain is the Minister for Local Government, and the Member for Eden-Monaro. Good morning.

    KRISTY MCBAIN, MINISTERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIES: Good morning.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: You’ve seen this as a mayor, and now as the federal minister. How much have you seen the role of local councils change?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: I think local councils have substantially changed over the last number of years. I mean, in the last 10 or 15 years I think councils now play a critical role in that emergency response and recovery phase, which, you know, had not typically been the bailiwick of local councils. And I’ve seen that from a community level, and now as the Minister for Emergency Services, the role that councils play in response and recovery is absolutely critical for communities.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: So are they the best placed level of government for that sort of a role?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Yeah, clearly. I mean, they’ve got a local workforce and, you know, they have elected officials from that local area with, you know, that inside knowledge that the other levels of government just don’t have from that hyper-localised perspective. So it’s really important that there is a really strong partnership with local councils to be able to assist in times of emergency.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: Is that partnership there and particularly is the funding there for local councils to play these roles?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Yeah, that’s right. So obviously, you know, we rely heavily on councils in response and recovery, but, you know, that funding is there to assist them, whether it’s the immediate $1 million after a disaster is cleared to assist with clean-up, or whether it’s the ongoing disaster recovery funding arrangements where councils go and assess their infrastructure and then we work with the state government to ensure that funding can be made to- to be handed to councils to ensure that infrastructure can be repaired and replaced.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: What about the more day-to-day community services, things like childcare, aged care, disability care, the other sorts of programs that you see like community transport? Should that be part of the local government purview?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Well, I guess it’s up to every local council to prioritise the services that they’re providing in community. We’ve seen over recent times a number of councils pull out of aged care services in particular and hand those onto not-for-profits or to the market because it is a difficult sector to be operating in. In regards to childcare services, a lot of our councils are providing childcare services because there are no market operators that can do that in those areas, but there are obviously a range of funding buckets for childcare services in particular.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: Yeah, are the funding buckets all kind of working? You know, things like competitive grants are by definition competitive and some councils miss out. Where do things go from here to make sure councils have the money to deliver all this?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Well, I guess when we’re looking at competitive grants, we’re usually looking at new or upgraded infrastructure. So councils have got, you know, their own work to do in terms of understanding what their service and delivery plan is going to look like over any four-year term, what maintenance needs to be done on particular assets, and it’s up to them whether they apply for those grants to upgrade or have new assets in their community.

    We have worked really closely with local councils in particular for a range of the funding options that are available through the federal government. We’re doubling Roads to Recovery, which is an automatic allocation to all of the 537 local council areas across the country to allow them to have more maintenance on local roads. And then we’ve got a range of competitive programs, including the Housing Support Program which is all about that enabling infrastructure to get more housing developments underway.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: What about Financial Assistance Grants? This is something a lot of local government groups talk about. Is the government willing to increase those?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Financial Assistance Grants is over $3 billion every year. This year’s $3.4 billion is allocated across the country to councils. We have brought forward over $1.7 billion in Financial Assistance Grants, which was paid to councils before the end of the financial year, to assist with a range of service delivery for local councils. There’s long been calls to increase that, but we also don’t want to replace the requirement of the states to do their part in this as well, and a lot of that cost shifting we’re talking about is coming from the state government requirements. And we want to make sure that there is enough money for weeds maintenance for local councils. We want to make sure that there is a range of funding opportunities that also come from the state, because it’s a requirement of all three levels of government to be working together.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: All three levels working together? Are you all getting into the same room to try to sort this out?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Look, I chair the Local Government Ministers’ Forum, and we’ve had some broad agreement on some of the things that need to be addressed, including a simple national accounting standard for local governments. It’s different across the jurisdictions. And a national approach to how councils actually, I guess, grade their assets and when they maintain them so that when grants are being applied for, we’re really comparing apples and apples across the country.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: There is a federal inquiry into local government sustainability that’s been underway. Is the Government willing to take some meaningful action, potentially look at some reforms, depending on what that inquiry recommends?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Yeah, well, it’s the first local government inquiry in over two decades. And when we look back 20 years ago, the iPhone wasn’t invented and Silverchair was still a band at the top of the chart. So it’s really important, I think, that the inquiry completes its work. We’ll reconstitute that committee so it can finalise the report. But clearly the reason we’ve done that is so that we can get a really good understanding of where the system needs to improve and how we can make that work.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: You’re hearing from Kristy McBain, the Minister for Local Government and Emergency Management and the Member for Eden-Monaro. On another issue, the NSW Health-funded Goulburn Urgent Care Service has come to an end, attracting and retaining healthcare staff to the regions being one of the challenges cited there. How confident are you that a federally funded Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Bega will open this year and will stay viable?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Yeah, well, the closure of the Urgent Care Service in Goulburn was a very disappointing outcome for the community, and one I’ve been working to try to prevent. I’ve been advocating with the NSW Government for it to remain open. It was a well-utilised service, but ultimately the service’s contract was negotiated by the NSW Government, and the state needs to work on their model. But the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been a real game-changer across our health sector. In Queanbeyan alone, we’ve had more than 12,000 free presentations since it opened last year, which I think is a real testament to how much this was needed. And anecdotally, we’ve heard from a range of people that utilise the Queanbeyan Hospital, and they’ve said that it’s taken significant pressure off the hospital, which is fantastic.

    We’re providing $644 million to establish another 50 Urgent Care Clinics across the country, including in the Bega Valley. The provider will be negotiated through an independent process by the Primary Health Network, and we’re really confident that it will run effectively like it does in a range of other regional areas across the country.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: When will that open?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: It will go through that independent process which is being commissioned at this point in time, and I don’t have an exact date on when that’s due to finish. But as soon as I’ve got some more info, I will be out there sharing it with the community.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: And the way that will work, the way that relationship and provider comes about, is that something that will be ongoing into the long term, or a sort of year-to-year contract? How do you expect that to look?

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Yeah, well the contracts are negotiated and dealt with through the Primary Health Network. It’s run at arm’s length from the federal government because we’ve got Primary Health Networks that cover every corner of Australia, and they do their job in making sure that we’ve got providers that can work within the community, and the Urgent Care Clinics are staffed effectively for our communities.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: Kristy McBain, I appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Great to be with you.

    EDDIE WILLIAMS: The Member for Eden-Monaro, Minister for Local Government and Emergency Management, Kristy McBain.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mandai North Crematorium And Garden Of Serenity Will Commence Operations On 15 August 2025

    Source: Government of Singapore

    Singapore, 28 July 2025 – The new Mandai North Crematorium (MNC) and Garden of Serenity (GOS), operated by the National Environment Agency (NEA), will begin operations on 15 August 2025. MNC will start with four cremation services daily. Cremation services will be ramped up progressively over the coming months.

    2          The new facilities, spanning approximately 2.4 ha, have been built in anticipation of demographic changes and an ageing population in Singapore. Annual resident deaths are projected to increase from about 25,000 in 2024 to around 40,000 by 2040. The new crematorium will provide additional cremation capacity, and the GOS will provide an additional option for the inland scattering of ashes. They will enable us to continue serving the nation’s needs in the years ahead.

    Facility designed to create a healing environment for the bereaved by integrating greenery and natural lighting within the key spaces

    3          The MNC is designed to house six service halls with viewing halls, transfer halls, and 18 cremators. Currently, three service halls are equipped with nine cremators. The ash collection centre is also ready for operations. NEA will fit out the remaining halls and cremators to meet anticipated demand for cremations.

    Service hall

    4          The new cremation facility offers an innovative design and technological features to enhance operational efficiency, and provide a seamless experience for visitors [1]. Some key features include a layout where service halls and viewing halls are adjacent, reducing walking distances and improving accessibility for all users. Technology is also used to enhance the visitor experience, with automated guided vehicles for coffin transport, and a self-help system at the ash collection centre. A comprehensive process control monitoring system oversees the entire cremation and ash collection process, ensuring service reliability. 

    Layout is designed with key facilities positioned side by side on the same level or connected vertically via escalators and lifts, reducing walking distances for visitors.

    Automated guided vehicle will be used to transport a coffin from hearse drop off to the service hall

    Ash collection station with a self-help system to facilitate collection of cremated ashes

    5          The MNC has been awarded the Green Mark (Platinum) by the Building and Construction Authority for sustainability efforts in building design. The environmental features at the facility include greenery in and around the building, a green roof that reduces the heat island effect, efficient underfloor cooling systems, and adoption of low carbon concrete and sustainable building products [2] to reduce the carbon footprint of the building.

    6          The GOS, Singapore’s second inland ash scattering facility, is located next to the MNC building [3]. It adopts an open garden concept with designated lanes for walkways and ash scattering [4]. It also incorporates a stormwater detention pond designed as a natural pond. The new facility will enable us to meet increasing demands for inland ash scattering service [5].

     

    Garden of Serenity: Landscaping and greenery have been used to create a peaceful, serene garden setting, to provide a dignified and respectful environment for ash scattering

    7          NEA will continue to plan ahead to ensure sufficient government after-death facilities and services, and to provide these services in a way that allows bereaved families to come together to send off their loved ones with dignity and respect.

    ————————————————————

    [1] See Annex A for more details on the design inspiration for the facility

    [2] Certified by the Singapore Green Building Council or on the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme.

    [3] The Garden of Serenity occupies approximately 750 sqm within the new Mandai North facility.

    [4] See Annex Bfor more details on the features at Garden of Serenity.

    [5] Accumulated ash soil will periodically be transferred from the ash scattering lanes to a designated location within the Garden of Peace (located at the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery) due to limited available space at GOS, to ensure that its lanes remain available for continued use. 

     

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Launches New Low-Earth Orbit Satellites to Provide Internet Access

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TAIYUAN, July 27 (Xinhua) — China on Sunday successfully launched a new group of low-orbit satellites to provide internet access from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province.

    The group of satellites, the fifth of its kind, was launched at 18:03 Beijing time by a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket. The satellites successfully entered their designated orbits.

    The current launch was the 585th flight mission for the Long March series of launch vehicles. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Call for objective information was made at the SCO Media and Think Tank Summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    ZHENGZHOU, July 27 (Xinhua) — Participants at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Media and Think Tank Summit held in Zhengzhou, capital of central China’s Henan Province, from July 23 to 27 stressed the importance of properly publicizing the SCO’s cooperation and outstanding achievements.

    “We are very well aware that we, journalists, are shaping the news agenda and are starting to talk more and more about the countries of the global South,” said Irina Akulovich, director general of the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BELTA), citing the fact that, according to estimates, the agency has already released several hundred articles about the SCO in recent months.

    According to her, today people need short and quick information, and social networks in many ways do not take responsibility for the information they provide, which leads to the truth having a harder time getting through.

    We must teach people to use information correctly, as well as to trust state media and analytics, said I. Akulovich.

    “That is why we must learn to quickly, interestingly and concretely talk in accessible language about what is happening and what our countries are doing to change this world,” she emphasized.

    According to Mirzohid Rakhimov, director of the Coordination and Methodological Center for the Modern History of Uzbekistan at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, it is very important for the media to cover the history of the formation of the SCO, showing the path the organization took from its first steps to such a large national formation.

    He believes that lecture courses dedicated specifically to the SCO and what the media shows are also useful in that the SCO countries can exchange experiences in development with each other.

    “In recent years, I have visited Chinese universities several times and observed society, the city. I can say that the Chinese experience of transforming science and education is very useful for the countries of Central Asia. I think that here countries can learn a lot from each other in terms of studying aspects of the development of society, so it is important for the media to show all this comprehensively and objectively,” he said.

    Director of the Kyrgyz Center for Expert Initiatives “Oi Ordo” Igor Shestakov said: “Today it was said that one of the tasks of the SCO is to provide objective information. And here the role of analytical centers and mass media is very high.”

    Having stated that he is a regular reader of the Xinhua News Agency and learns news about China through it, I. Shestakov noted that with its network of correspondent offices in almost all SCO countries, Xinhua serves as an important example.

    “We should be guided by the Xinhua model and communicate more not on the Internet, not by phone, but on forums like these,” he said.

    In his view, people in China and Central Asia learn about the SCO from experts and the media, which therefore play a very important role. However, it is important to talk about the organization objectively, he added.

    The five-day event brought together around 400 representatives from approximately 200 leading media outlets, renowned think tanks and government agencies from 26 SCO countries, as well as international and regional organizations such as the UN, the SCO Secretariat, etc.

    As noted in the Zhengzhou Consensus released during the summit, the media and think tanks of the SCO countries should give full play to their roles as bridges and links to jointly and properly report on the SCO cooperation and showcase its outstanding achievements, thereby bringing wisdom and strength to the promotion of peace, stability, prosperity and development in the region and the world. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival wraps up with awards ceremony in Lhasa

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

    The 5th China Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival awards ceremony was held on Friday in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. 

    The festival, which was launched in September 2024, was guided by the Bureau of Cyber Communications of the CAC and the Publicity Department of the CPC Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee. It was hosted by the Xizang Regional Cyberspace Administration and organized by CIIC.

    Since its launch, the event has attracted more than 140,000 submissions from around the world, showcasing Xizang’s social development, cultural heritage, natural landscapes and everyday life. It has become a vital platform for showcasing the region’s new face in the new era, generating more than 3 billion online views and interactions nationwide, with overseas dissemination exceeding 800 million views.

    After four rounds of expert review, a total of 108 entries were selected across four categories: photos, short videos (including animation), songs, and micro-movies. Each category awarded one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes, along with several most popular and participation awards. These winning works offered diverse and compelling perspectives on Xizang’s transformation, highlighting its cultural appeal and development momentum, and drawing widespread interest both domestically and internationally.

    This year’s festival notably featured international contributions. Foreign vloggers such as Raz Galor from Israel, Hannah Wilson from the U.K., and Gonzales Brian Alejendro from Argentina, shared their experiences in Xizang, showing viewers a true taste of life on the plateau by visiting local homes, sampling cuisine, learning instruments, and wearing Tibetan traditional clothing. Their perspectives highlighted local people’s love for life and the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, earning them a third prize in the micro-film category and an honorable mention in the photography category. Additionally, Japanese artist Masaaki Honda’s song “Bright Days of Xizang,” which beautifully captured the tranquility and grounded feeling of the region, won the most popular award in the song category.

    A concurrent photography exhibition was also held, offering audiences a visual gateway into Xizang’s diverse and dynamic appeal. With contributions from photography enthusiasts around the globe, the exhibition featured everything from sacred mountains and serene lakes to bustling towns, traditional rituals, and modern innovations. Each image told a unique story, collectively composing a compelling visual narrative of Xizang’s ongoing transformation.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival wraps up with awards ceremony in Lhasa

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

    The 5th China Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival awards ceremony was held on Friday in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. 

    The festival, which was launched in September 2024, was guided by the Bureau of Cyber Communications of the CAC and the Publicity Department of the CPC Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee. It was hosted by the Xizang Regional Cyberspace Administration and organized by CIIC.

    Since its launch, the event has attracted more than 140,000 submissions from around the world, showcasing Xizang’s social development, cultural heritage, natural landscapes and everyday life. It has become a vital platform for showcasing the region’s new face in the new era, generating more than 3 billion online views and interactions nationwide, with overseas dissemination exceeding 800 million views.

    After four rounds of expert review, a total of 108 entries were selected across four categories: photos, short videos (including animation), songs, and micro-movies. Each category awarded one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes, along with several most popular and participation awards. These winning works offered diverse and compelling perspectives on Xizang’s transformation, highlighting its cultural appeal and development momentum, and drawing widespread interest both domestically and internationally.

    This year’s festival notably featured international contributions. Foreign vloggers such as Raz Galor from Israel, Hannah Wilson from the U.K., and Gonzales Brian Alejendro from Argentina, shared their experiences in Xizang, showing viewers a true taste of life on the plateau by visiting local homes, sampling cuisine, learning instruments, and wearing Tibetan traditional clothing. Their perspectives highlighted local people’s love for life and the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, earning them a third prize in the micro-film category and an honorable mention in the photography category. Additionally, Japanese artist Masaaki Honda’s song “Bright Days of Xizang,” which beautifully captured the tranquility and grounded feeling of the region, won the most popular award in the song category.

    A concurrent photography exhibition was also held, offering audiences a visual gateway into Xizang’s diverse and dynamic appeal. With contributions from photography enthusiasts around the globe, the exhibition featured everything from sacred mountains and serene lakes to bustling towns, traditional rituals, and modern innovations. Each image told a unique story, collectively composing a compelling visual narrative of Xizang’s ongoing transformation.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival wraps up with awards ceremony in Lhasa

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

    The 5th China Xizang Internet Photography & Video Festival awards ceremony was held on Friday in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. 

    The festival, which was launched in September 2024, was guided by the Bureau of Cyber Communications of the CAC and the Publicity Department of the CPC Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee. It was hosted by the Xizang Regional Cyberspace Administration and organized by CIIC.

    Since its launch, the event has attracted more than 140,000 submissions from around the world, showcasing Xizang’s social development, cultural heritage, natural landscapes and everyday life. It has become a vital platform for showcasing the region’s new face in the new era, generating more than 3 billion online views and interactions nationwide, with overseas dissemination exceeding 800 million views.

    After four rounds of expert review, a total of 108 entries were selected across four categories: photos, short videos (including animation), songs, and micro-movies. Each category awarded one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes, along with several most popular and participation awards. These winning works offered diverse and compelling perspectives on Xizang’s transformation, highlighting its cultural appeal and development momentum, and drawing widespread interest both domestically and internationally.

    This year’s festival notably featured international contributions. Foreign vloggers such as Raz Galor from Israel, Hannah Wilson from the U.K., and Gonzales Brian Alejendro from Argentina, shared their experiences in Xizang, showing viewers a true taste of life on the plateau by visiting local homes, sampling cuisine, learning instruments, and wearing Tibetan traditional clothing. Their perspectives highlighted local people’s love for life and the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, earning them a third prize in the micro-film category and an honorable mention in the photography category. Additionally, Japanese artist Masaaki Honda’s song “Bright Days of Xizang,” which beautifully captured the tranquility and grounded feeling of the region, won the most popular award in the song category.

    A concurrent photography exhibition was also held, offering audiences a visual gateway into Xizang’s diverse and dynamic appeal. With contributions from photography enthusiasts around the globe, the exhibition featured everything from sacred mountains and serene lakes to bustling towns, traditional rituals, and modern innovations. Each image told a unique story, collectively composing a compelling visual narrative of Xizang’s ongoing transformation.

    1   2   3   >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Long-COVID, viruses and ‘zombie’ cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue and brain fog

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Burtram C. Fielding, Dean Faculty of Sciences and Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University

    Millions of people who recover from infections like COVID-19, influenza and glandular fever are affected by long-lasting symptoms. These include chronic fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, muscle or joint pain and gut problems. And many of these symptoms worsen after exercise, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise.

    Medically the symptoms are known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The World Health Organization classifies this as a post viral fatigue syndrome, and it is recognised by both the WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a brain disorder.

    Experiencing illness long after contracting an infection is not new, as patients have reported these symptoms for decades. But COVID-19 has amplified the problem worldwide. Nearly half of people with ongoing post-COVID symptoms – a condition known as long-COVID – now meet the criteria for ME/CFS. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, it is estimated that more than 400 million people have developed long-COVID.

    To date, no widely accepted and testable mechanism has fully explained the biological processes underlying long-COVID and ME/CFS. Our work offers a new perspective that may help close this gap.

    Our research group studies blood and the cardiovascular system in inflammatory diseases, as well as post-viral conditions. We focus on coagulation, inflammation and endothelial cells. Endothelial cells make up the inner layer of blood vessels and serve many important functions, like regulating blood clotting, blood vessel dilation and constriction, and inflammation.

    Our latest review aims to explain how ME/CFS and long-COVID start and progress, and how symptoms show up in the body and its systems. By pinpointing and explaining the underlying disease mechanisms, we can pave the way for better clinical tools to diagnose and treat people living with ME/CFS and long-COVID.

    What is endothelial senescence?

    In our review, our international team proposes that certain viruses drive endothelial cells into a half-alive, “zombie-like” state called cellular senescence. Senescent endothelial cells stop dividing, but continue to release molecules that awaken and confuse the immune system. This prompts the blood to form clots and, at the same time, prevent clot breakdown, which could lead to the constriction of blood vessels and limited blood flow.

    By placing “zombie” blood-vessel cells at the centre of these post-viral diseases, our hypothesis weaves together microclots, oxygen debt (the extra oxygen your body needs after strenuous exercise to restore balance), brain-fog, dizziness, gut leakiness (a digestive condition where the intestinal lining allows toxins into the bloodstream) and immune dysfunction into a single, testable narrative.

    From acute viral infection to ‘zombie’ vessels

    Viruses like SARS-CoV-2, Epstein–Barr virus, HHV-6, influenza A, and enteroviruses (a group of viruses that cause a number of infectious illnesses which are usually mild) can all infect endothelial cells. They enable a direct attack on the cells that line the inside of blood vessels. Some of these viruses have been shown to trigger endothelial senescence.

    Multiple studies show that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19 disease) has the ability to induce senescence in a variety of cell types, including endothelial cells. Viral proteins from SARS-CoV-2, for example, sabotage DNA-repair pathways and push the host cell towards a senescent state, while senescent cells in turn become even more susceptible to viral entry. This reciprocity helps explain why different pathogens can result in the same chronic illness. Influenza A, too, has shown the ability to drive endothelial cells into a senescent, zombie-like state.

    What we think is happening

    We propose that when blood-vessel cells turn into “zombies”, they pump out substances that make blood thicker and prone to forming tiny clots. These clots slow down circulation, so less oxygen reaches muscles and organs. This is one reason people feel drained.

    During exercise, the problem worsens. Instead of the vessels relaxing to allow adequate bloodflow, they tighten further. This means that muscles are starved of oxygen and patients experience a crash the day after exercise. In the brain, the same faulty cells let blood flow drop and leak, bringing on brain fog and dizziness.

    In the gut, they weaken the lining, allowing bits of bacteria to slip into the bloodstream and trigger more inflammation. Because blood vessels reach every corner of the body, even scattered patches of these “zombie” cells found in the blood vessels can create the mix of symptoms seen in long-COVID and ME/CFS.

    Immune exhaustion locks in the damage

    Some parts of the immune system kill senescent cells. They are natural-killer cells, macrophages and complement proteins, which are immune molecules capable of tagging and killing pathogens. But long-COVID and ME/CFS frequently have impaired natural-killer cell function, sluggish macrophages and complement dysfunction.

    Senescent endothelial cells may also send out a chemical signal to repel immune attack. So the “zombie cells” actively evade the immune system. This creates a self-sustaining loop of vascular and immune dysfunction, where senescent endothelial cells persist.

    In a healthy person with an optimally functioning immune system, these senescent endothelial cells will normally be cleared. But there is significant immune dysfunction in ME/CFS and long-COVID, and this may enable the “zombie cells” to survive and the disease to progress.

    Where the research goes next

    There is a registered clinical trial in the US that is investigating senescence in long-COVID. Our consortium is testing new ways to spot signs of ageing in the cells that line our blood vessels. First, we expose healthy endothelial cells in the lab to blood from patients to see whether it pushes the cells into a senescent, or “zombie,” state.

    At the same time, we are trialling non‑invasive imaging and fluorescent probes that could one day reveal these ageing cells inside the body. In selected cases, tissue biopsies may later confirm what the scans show. Together, these approaches aim to pinpoint how substances circulating in the blood drive cellular ageing and how that, in turn, fuels disease.

    Our aim is simple: find these ageing endothelial cells in real patients. Pinpointing them will inform the next round of clinical trials and open the door to therapies that target senescent cells directly, offering a route to healthier blood vessels and, ultimately, lighter disease loads.

    Burtram C. Fielding works for Stellenbosch University. He has received funding from the National Research Foundation, South Africa and the Technology Innovation Agency.

    Resia Pretorius is a Distinguished Research Professor at Stellenbosch University and receives funding from Balvi Research Foundation and Kanro Research Foundation. She is also affiliated with University of Liverpool as a Honorary Professor. Resia is a founding director of the Stellenbosch University start-up company, Biocode Technologies and has various patents related to microclot formation in Long COVID.

    Massimo Nunes receives funding from Kanro Research Foundation.

    – ref. Long-COVID, viruses and ‘zombie’ cells: new research looks for links to chronic fatigue and brain fog – https://theconversation.com/long-covid-viruses-and-zombie-cells-new-research-looks-for-links-to-chronic-fatigue-and-brain-fog-261108

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: 3D printed food: yuck or yes? Researchers ask South African consumers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Oluwafemi Adebo, Professor of Food Technology and Director of the Centre for Innovative Food Research (CIFR), University of Johannesburg

    Would you eat food that was printed by a machine? 3D printed food is built up by equipment (a 3D food printer), layer after layer, using edible pastes, dough and food slurries in three-dimensional forms. These machines use digital models to produce precise, often personalised food items. Most 3D printed foods are made from nutrient-dense sources (plant and animal), which means they can offer health benefits.

    The global market for 3D printed food is growing. It’s been estimated as worth US$437 million in 2024 and projected to reach US$7.1 billion in 2034. But the concept is still emerging in Africa.

    Food science and technology researcher Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo and marketing academic Nicole Cunningham share what they learnt from a survey about South African consumers’ feelings on the subject.

    How is food 3D printed and why?

    In 3D food printing, edible food materials are formulated into printable materials (food ink). These inks can be made from pureed vegetables, doughs, or nutrient-rich mixes. The food ink is loaded into a 3D printer and extruded in layers until the selected shape is complete.

    After printing, some products are ready to eat, while others need further processing such as baking or freeze-drying. The most common method is extrusion-based printing, valued for its simplicity and versatility.

    The technique enables the customisation of food. Meals can be highly personalised in texture, appearance and nutritional content.

    It can also transform food waste into food products. For example it can turn imperfect broccoli and carrots into healthy snacks and make noodles from potato peels.

    It’s also useful in texture-modified diets for people with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), especially the elderly. The products available for these patients tend to be bland and unappealing meals such as mashed potato, pumpkin and soft porridge. 3D food printing can produce nutritionally dense meals that are easier to eat and more appetising.



    Read more:
    How 3D food printers could improve mealtimes for people with swallowing disorders

    Food ink can combine various sources with different nutrients to boost the health benefits. Not having to process the product with heat can also result in higher nutritional content.

    In South Africa, what sorts of foods might be 3D printed?

    Virtually any edible material could be transformed into food inks, although some might require additives to make them printable. The abundance of nutrient-dense and health-promoting food crops in South Africa presents an excellent opportunity for 3D food printing to create novel food.

    Sorghum, cowpea and quinoa have been used to make 3D printed biscuits, for example. They are more nutritious than wheat and don’t contain gluten.



    Read more:
    Africa’s superfood heroes – from teff to insects – deserve more attention

    Research at the Centre for Innovative Food Research at the University of Johannesburg has already demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining 3D printed products from different sources (for example whole-grain sourdough and malt biscuits, biscuits from wholegrain and multigrain flours and nutritious and appetising meals for dysphagia patients).



    Read more:
    3D printing offers African countries an advantage in manufacturing

    3D food printing is still in its infancy in South Africa, compared to developed countries such as China, Japan, the US and some European countries. The best-known companies that have adopted this technology include BluRhapsody, based in Italy, which makes 3D-printed pasta, and Open Meals based in Japan, which specialises in personalised sushi.

    We carried out a study to understand South African consumers’ attitudes toward 3D-printed foods. Although the technology is not yet in wide use, we found some consumers were fairly knowledgeable about these foods and the associated benefits. These findings lay the foundation for business opportunities to commercialise and market 3D printed products in the region.

    Who did you ask about it in your study?

    The study surveyed South African consumers aged 18-65 who were familiar with the concept of 3D-printed food. We collected 355 responses, mostly females aged 24 to 44. They provided information and opinions on several aspects, including:

    • their awareness of 3D-printed food

    • their familiarity with 3D-printed food

    • their food neophobia (fear of new foods)

    • the convenience that 3D-printed food offers

    • their perspective on their health needs

    • the perceived benefits that 3D-printed food offers

    • attitudes towards 3D-printed food.

    What did they say?

    Positive attitudes were strongest among those who recognised the convenience and health-related benefits of this new technology. The potential to reduce waste, customise nutrition, and simplify meal preparation stood out as key motivators.

    Interestingly, food familiarity didn’t play a significant role in people’s responses. This means they aren’t necessarily clinging to traditional or childhood meals when forming attitudes about 3D-printed food.

    In short, novelty alone isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s more about perceived safety, usefulness, and understanding the benefits.

    What does this tell us?

    The findings highlight the crucial role of consumer education and awareness in shaping attitudes toward 3D-printed food. While unfamiliarity with the technology can create some hesitation, the research shows that consumers are not necessarily resistant to innovation. They just need to understand it better and be educated about the benefits it offers.

    If food manufacturers and marketers invest in increasing public knowledge and offering hands-on experiences such as tastings, demonstrations, or transparent production processes, then consumer attitudes could shift positively.

    This approach has shown promise in other markets. For example, educational campaigns in Europe and the US around lab-grown meat and plant-based proteins have improved public perception over time.



    Read more:
    Nigeria isn’t big on 3D printing. Teaching students how to use it could change this

    Marketers should talk about safety, health and sustainability, and demystify the technology through clear, engaging messaging. In countries where such strategies have been used, consumers have shown increased willingness to try novel food technologies. This is significant because of predicted growth in the industry.

    If South African consumers see 3D-printed food more positively, this innovation could unlock opportunities to enhance food security, address malnutrition, and support personalised dietary solutions.

    Oluwafemi Adebo received funding for this project from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa Support for Rated and Unrated Researchers (grant number: SRUG2204285188), the University of Johannesburg and Faculty of Science Research Committee Grant, and the South African Medica lResearch Council (SAMRC) Self-Initiated Research (SIR) Grant.

    Nicole Cunningham receives funding from the DHET in order to conduct academic research.

    – ref. 3D printed food: yuck or yes? Researchers ask South African consumers – https://theconversation.com/3d-printed-food-yuck-or-yes-researchers-ask-south-african-consumers-255887

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Search underway for passenger car in northern China after crash, loss of contact with passengers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TAIYUAN, July 27 (Xinhua) — Search and rescue operations are in full swing after contact was lost with a small passenger car that crashed in Datong City, north China’s Shanxi Province, on Sunday morning, the city’s emergency response headquarters said. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Six killed, eight injured in road accident in northern China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TAIYUAN, July 27 (Xinhua) — Six people were killed and eight others injured when a large truck collided with a minibus in north China’s Shanxi Province on Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.

    The traffic accident /RTA/ occurred at around 1:55 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of two streets in Hejin City, the province. Traffic police and other relevant agencies rushed to the scene. The cause and circumstances of the accident are currently under investigation. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Disrupts North Korea Revenue Generation, Offering Rewards of Up to $15 Million

    Source: United States Department of State (2)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    United States Disrupts North Korea Revenue Generation, Offering Rewards of Up to $15 Million

    Media Note

    July 24, 2025

    Today, the Departments of State, Justice, and the Treasury are executing coordinated, decisive actions to keep Americans safe from North Korea’s malicious and illicit revenue generation schemes. The Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) is offering rewards totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions, in any country, of North Korean nationals Sim Hyon-sop and six co-conspirators involved in these schemes.

    North Korea’s revenue generation schemes—which include cryptocurrency theft, illicit information technology (IT) work, trafficking in counterfeit goods, oil smuggling, and other transnational criminal activities—often target U.S. companies and U.S. citizens to raise funds for North Korea’s dangerous and unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs, which threaten the U.S. homeland and stand in contravention of UN and U.S. sanctions. In many cases, these ballistic missiles have been unlawfully transferred to Russia, where they have been used to strike Ukrainian territory, including Kyiv.

    Today’s actions illustrate the U.S. government’s commitment to mitigating such threats posed by North Korea to protect U.S. companies, the U.S. financial system, and American citizens. The United States will not stand idly by while North Korea profits from criminal activity to fund its destabilizing actions.

    Sim Hyon-Sop and six co-conspirators were charged for their role in illicit activities to buy and sell tobacco from North Korea to gain access to U.S. dollars. The Department of State’s reward offers include an increase of up to $7 million for Sim Hyon-Sop, up to $3 million each for Myong Chol-Min and Kim Se-Un, and up to $500,000 each for Kim Yong-Bok, Kim Chol-Min, a/k/a “Jack,” Ri Tong-Min, a/k/a “Elvis,” and Ri Won-Ho.

    Sim Hyon-Sop and some of his co-conspirators—including Kim Se-Un—have also been involved in illicit IT worker schemes. North Korea dispatches thousands of IT workers abroad to orchestrate fraudulent IT work, often from Russia and China. Today, the Department of the Treasury is designating Korea Sobaeksu Trading Company, which has previously deployed IT workers to Vietnam, and three North Korean nationals, including Kim Se Un, Myong Chol Min, and Jo Kyong Hun, who have been involved in illicit revenue generation schemes. North Korea’s overseas networks provide it with access to technology, illicit finance networks, and facilitators to support its revenue generation to fund UN and U.S. sanctioned entities including the Munitions Industry Department and Ministry of Atomic Energy and Industry. The Department of State continues to engage foreign countries that support North Korean IT workers in order to prevent the targeting of Americans by North Korean revenue generation schemes.

    In addition, Christina Marie Chapman, an American citizen, will be sentenced today in the District of Columbia for her role in a North Korean IT worker scheme that defrauded more than 300 U.S. companies, including Fortune 500 corporations. North Korean IT workers specifically target remote jobs with U.S. companies due to the high salaries, which they remit back to North Korea to fund the unlawful production of WMD and ballistic missiles.

    Today’s individual reward offers are authorized by the Secretary under the TOCRP, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice. If you have information, please send tips to the FBI via phone/text/WhatsApp at +1-480-695-1388. If you are located outside of the United States, you can also visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local FBI field office.

    THE IDENTITIES OF ANYONE PROVIDING TIPS WILL BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Per 22 U.S.C. section 2708(f), government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards if information is provided in the performance of official duties.

    Separately, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) national security program has a standing reward offer of up to $5 million for information that leads to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support the North Korean government and its sanctions evasion. Rewards can be paid for actionable information regarding IT worker schemes, money laundering, cyber activity, and other illicit activities that support WMD proliferation and missile development. More information on RFJ’s North Korea reward offers is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE attends district forum

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee today led 21 principal officials in attending the 2025 Policy Address District Forum to gather views and suggestions form members of the community ahead of the current-term Government’s fourth Policy Address.

     

    Held at Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School (Hung Hom Bay), the forum was attended by about 120 people from different backgrounds.

     

    The two-hour forum consisted of two sessions. In the first, the Chief Executive and principal officials listened to the views of members of the public. Matters raised straddled land and housing; transport; innovation and technology; financial services; culture and sports; education; youth issues, poverty alleviation; healthcare; and social welfare.

     

    In the second session, community participants, divided into four groups, focused on “pursuing development and economic growth” and “improving people’s livelihood and building our future together” as they engaged in extensive exchanges with the Chief Executive and the officials. Mr Lee also held discussions in turn with each of the groups and listened to their views.

     

    He said: “There are issues that members of the public care deeply about, so I attach great importance to district consultations.

     

    “These views will let me have a better grasp on formulating policies and allocation of resources when I prepare the Policy Address.”

     

    Principal Officials attending today’s event included Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki; Financial Secretary Paul Chan; Secretary for Justice Paul Lam; Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing; Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong; Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan; Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang; Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui; Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung; Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan; Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau; Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau; Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn; Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho; Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung; Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong; Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak; Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun; Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan; Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law; and Acting Secretary for Education Sze Chun-fai.

     

    The Government said it will continue to gather input from a wide variety of organisations and individuals over the coming month through consultation sessions and district visits. Members of the public can also give their views via the Policy Address website, social media platforms, hotlines, email, fax and post.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Indian Railways boosts connectivity and safety in Jammu & Kashmir with track and coach upgrades

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing a major transformation in its railway infrastructure with the Indian Railways undertaking extensive upgrades in track maintenance and passenger coach facilities. The inauguration of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, marked a turning point in connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country. This new link, which includes the engineering marvels of the Chenab and Anji bridges, has paved the way for the deployment of advanced machinery and modern amenities in the region.

    The introduction of modern track maintenance machines in the Kashmir Valley has replaced the earlier manual methods, significantly enhancing the quality and safety of railway operations. Since early June, a tamping machine has been in operation, aligning and stabilising railway tracks by packing ballast underneath. This machine has covered around 88 kilometres of track so far, contributing to smoother train rides. Additionally, four Ballast Cleaning Machines (BCMs) have been deployed, with two of them joining the fleet in July. These machines have deep-screened nearly 14 kilometres of track, ensuring cleaner and more stable track conditions.

    To support these efforts, 17 ballast rakes carrying stone chips were sent from depots in Kathua, Qazigund, Madhopur, and Jind. Approximately 19,000 cubic metres of ballast have been laid across the valley’s railway tracks.

    Track Recording Car and Oscillation Monitoring System runs were conducted in June and July respectively to assess the quality of the tracks. These assessments have helped in identifying areas that need further attention, ensuring targeted maintenance for optimal performance.

    Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the role of technology in improving safety and working conditions for railway staff. He said that the government is focusing on upgrading track fittings and adopting scientific maintenance practices using ultrasound fracture detection machines, road-cum-rail vehicles, and AI-based defect detection systems.

    These changes are expected to significantly improve the overall safety of train operations. As of early 2025, around 78 percent of the country’s tracks support speeds of 110 kmph or more, compared to just 39 percent in 2014. This growth is particularly notable given the increase in total track length to over 1 lakh kilometres, up from 79,342 kilometres a decade ago.

    Parallel to the track upgrades, Indian Railways has also launched an overhaul of the passenger coaches operating in the Kashmir Valley. Earlier, due to the absence of a direct rail link, DEMU and MEMU rakes had to be transported on road trailers from Budgam to Lucknow for maintenance. This was not only cumbersome but also inefficient. With the new rail link operational, these rakes are now being brought to the Charbagh workshop in Lucknow and the Jalandhar shed through rail for periodic overhauling.

    Several rakes have already undergone or are currently undergoing maintenance. One MEMU rake has been fully overhauled and is back in service, while another is expected to be ready by the end of July. Two DEMU rakes have been or are being serviced at Charbagh, with one set to return by mid-August. Another DEMU rake under renovation in Jalandhar is expected to be operational by the end of July. Four additional DEMU rakes are scheduled for upgradation in the coming weeks.

    The upgraded rakes are being fitted with enhanced features to improve passenger comfort and safety. These include anti-graffiti PU exterior painting, bio-toilets with new water pumps, refurbished polycarbonate seating, new standing handles, renewed PVC flooring, buffed stainless steel fixtures, upgraded hopper windows, functional passenger information systems, better mobile charging sockets, and improved power panels for uninterrupted water system operation.

    All passenger coach upgradation works in the valley are expected to be completed by August 31, 2025. With these developments, Indian Railways is not only ensuring better travel experiences for passengers in Jammu & Kashmir but is also reinforcing its role as the backbone of the nation’s transportation network. The opening of the Jammu-Srinagar rail link and the ongoing enhancement efforts are poised to become a new lifeline for the people of the region.

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 World AI Conference kicks off in Shanghai

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

    2025 World AI Conference kicks off in Shanghai

    Updated: July 27, 2025 09:04 Xinhua
    This photo taken on July 26, 2025 shows the opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in east China’s Shanghai. The event kicked off here on Saturday. More than 1,000 officials and representatives of industries, universities and research institutes from home and abroad attended the opening ceremony. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors view a robot for quality checking at the exhibition area of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in east China’s Shanghai, July 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An electric vertical take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft is pictured at the exhibition area of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in east China’s Shanghai, July 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor interacts with a humanoid robot at the exhibition area of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in east China’s Shanghai, July 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese government proposes creation of global AI cooperation organization

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

    The Chinese government has proposed the creation of a global artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation organization, and is tentatively considering establishing its headquarters in Shanghai, Xinhua has learned from sources involved in the matter.

    This is an important move China has made to practice multilateralism and promote a style of global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits, the sources said.

    They also noted that it is a concrete action taken by China in response to the call of the Global South to bridge the digital and intelligence divide, and to promote the inclusive development of AI and the use of AI for good.

    China expects the organization will serve as a platform for countries to deepen cooperation on innovation, promote pragmatic cooperation to fully unleash the unlimited potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity, the sources said.

    They said that through this platform, China hopes to assist countries in the Global South to strengthen their capacity-building, nurture an AI innovation ecosystem, ensure that developing countries benefit equally from waves of AI, and promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Further goals for the organization, they said, are to enhance the coordination and alignment of development strategies, governance rules and technical standards among countries, and to gradually form a global framework and international standards for AI governance that have broad consensus, based on full respect for the differences in policies and practices among countries.

    By establishing the organization’s headquarters in Shanghai, China hopes to leverage its advantage in AI — and Shanghai’s advantage, in particular — to boost cooperation, according to the sources.

    They said that China stands ready to discuss relevant arrangements with countries that are willing to join the organization. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Roswell, Georgia, Man Sentenced for Threatening Former FBI Director Christopher Wray

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – John Woodbury, 35, of Roswell, GA, has been sentenced to seventeen months in prison after pleading guilty to transmitting threats to injure then-FBI Director Christopher Wray.                                       

    “My office has zero tolerance for threats against law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Threatening to harm public servants who enforce our criminal laws weakens the foundation of our society and will be punished accordingly.”

    “The functioning of our democracy requires that our country’s public servants be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The sentencing of John Woodbury is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to holding those accountable who threaten public officials.

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 7, 2023, Woodbury posted a message on 4chan.org that threatened violence against then-FBI Director Wray. In his message, Woodbury posted Director Wray’s purported home address and wrote: “Let’s show them what a fucking ‘Nazi’ . . . looks like. . . . It’s time to burn these mother fuckers down and hang them from trees. Hit them where it fucking hurts. Hit Chris at his home. Make his family fear stepping one foot outside their god damn door.”   

    Earlier today, United States District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty sentenced Woodbury to seventeen months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Woodbury was convicted of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, after he pleaded guilty on April 18, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics Earns Marker of Global Trust With EU RED Certification

    Source: Samsung

    ▲ Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Frank L. Blaimberger, Vice President of TÜV SÜD, were present at the EU RED certification ceremony.
     
    Samsung Electronics today announced that its latest TVs, monitors and commercial display products have been technically evaluated for compliance with the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED), including updated cybersecurity requirements that take effect on August 1, 2025.
     
    “With the growing emphasis on security in the industry, we are strengthening security features to stay ahead of this evolving trend,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to this achievement, we are committed to introducing innovations with advanced security and technology globally, thereby reinforcing customer trust in our solutions.”
     
    The EU’s RED, introduced in 2016, establishes essential requirements for the safety, electromagnetic compatibility and efficient spectrum use of radio-equipped products. In 2022, the EU announced expanded cybersecurity rules under the RED to improve protection against network threats, safeguard personal data and reduce the risk of fraud. These new provisions will become mandatory starting August 2025.
     
    The TÜV SÜD assessment covers Samsung’s entire 2024–2025 visual display lineup for the European market, including TVs, monitors, digital signage and Color E-Paper. Samsung is actively extending this compliance process to all applicable product lines as part of its global regulatory readiness strategy.
     
    In fact, this focus on compliance reflects a broader, ongoing commitment to product security across Samsung’s ecosystem. In 2024, the company’s proprietary cryptographic module,
     

    Samsung CryptoCore, earned FIPS 140-3 certification from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).1 As of 2025, Samsung CryptoCore has been integrated into Tizen OS,2 the operating system powering Samsung Smart TVs, to enhance protection across key product lines including TVs, monitors and digital signage.
    In addition, Samsung Smart TVs are equipped with its Samsung Knox security platform, which has earned Common Criteria (CC) certification every year since 2015 — further underscoring Samsung’s leadership in consumer device security.

     
    For more information, visit www.samsung.com.
     
     
    1 Recognized in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
    2 Tizen OS 9.0.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shanghai unveils plan to build leading zone for high-level autonomous driving

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

    SHANGHAI, July 26 — Shanghai’s latest action plan to build a leading zone for high-level autonomous driving was released on Saturday, during the ongoing World Artificial Intelligence Conference in the city.

    The plan aims to see Level 4 autonomous vehicles make over 6 million passenger trips by 2027, open more than 5,000 kilometers of roads for autonomous driving, and ensure that over 90 percent of the city’s new vehicles are equipped with Level 2 and Level 3 autonomous driving functions.

    Autonomous driving is categorized from Level 0 to Level 5. The higher the level, the more advanced and intelligent the technology. Vehicles with Level 4 autonomy can drive themselves in most conditions without a human backup driver.

    Shanghai will accelerate its construction of a globally leading zone for high-level autonomous driving through multi-dimensional collaboration involving data platforms, training bases, key technologies and policy frameworks, according to Han Dadong, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization’s automotive industry division.

    The plan also proposes the expansion of open areas for autonomous driving, the realization of full coverage for autonomous driving in the Pudong New Area, and the progressive opening-up of other districts such as Fengxian and Minhang.

    Shanghai will establish third-party platforms, including a key laboratory for intelligent connected vehicle traffic safety, to improve its validation process for autonomous driving systems and operational services, according to the plan.

    To facilitate the construction of its leading zone for high-level autonomous driving, Shanghai plans to deploy 500 data-collection ride-hailing vehicles and establish an evaluation system for large-scale autonomous driving models, achieving mass production applications for end-to-end intelligent driving models.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 26 July 2025 Departmental update WHO expands guidance on sexually transmitted infections and reviews country progress on policy implementation

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO has released new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) guidance and policy implementation data, ahead of the STI & HIV 2025 World Congress in Montreal, 26–30 July 2025.

    The 2 new components of the upcoming consolidated guidelines on STI prevention and care include the Guidelines for the management of asymptomatic STIs, and the Recommendations on the delivery of health services for STI prevention and care.

    These evidence-based guidelines aim to strengthen STI prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment, especially in high-burden, resource-limited settings. They complement existing guidance covering syndromic management, management of specific STIs: such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, genital candidiasis, Mycoplasma genitalium, human papillomavirus (anogenital warts) and bacterial vaginosis, syphilis testing, partner services. 

    Key new recommendations include targeted screening for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in high-prevalence settings with available resources, focusing on pregnant women, adolescents and young people aged 10–24, sex workers and men who have sex with men (MSM). 

    Screening should align with individual risk and resource considerations, with at least annual or 6-monthly screening recommended for sex workers and MSM. 

    Service delivery improvements include decentralizing and integrating STI services, task sharing with trained providers and community health workers, and leveraging digital tools to complement in-person care.

    Together with existing guidance, these new components will form part of the forthcoming WHO consolidated guidelines on STI prevention and care. 

    “These new recommendations aim to close persistent policy and service gaps, especially for asymptomatic STIs, and help countries move faster toward the 2030 goals,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes.

    WHO reports mixed progress on adopting and implementing WHO policy in countries

    As part of its continued efforts to strengthen global STI responses, WHO has released new data highlighting both progress and persistent challenges in national policy implementation. 

    Among countries reporting to Global AIDS Monitoring in 2024–2025, 89% have a national STI strategy or action plan in place – yet only 43% have updated it since 2023. Similarly, while 97% of countries report having national case management guidelines, only half of them have revised them since 2020. 

    Gonococcal resistance monitoring remains limited, with just 37% of countries conducting routine surveillance. Encouragingly, 95 countries have integrated dual HIV/syphilis rapid tests into their national policy – nearly half of these countries adopted them for both pregnant women and key populations. 

    National plans to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis are in place in 72% of reporting countries. As of 1 July 2025, 147 Member States (76%) have included human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccine – critical to preventing cervical cancer – in their national immunization schedule, and 2 countries have reported partial introduction of the vaccine. 

    These findings underscore the urgent need to accelerate updates to national policies, expand surveillance, and close implementation gaps. STIs remain prevalent and continue to present a major burden of morbidity and mortality. To reduce STIs and prevent complications, the provision of quality STI prevention and care services is essential. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Environmental incident reporting: Environmental Incident Reporting System (EIRS) platform officially launched

    Source: APO


    .

    The ceremony, chaired by Technical Advisor Georges Kouadio, representing the Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, Jacques Assahoré Konan, was held in the presence of representatives of the administration, local authorities, technical partners, sector experts and civil society.

    On this occasion, Georges Kouadio argued that the SRIE represents an alert system at the heart of national priorities in terms of environmental monitoring.

    “The SRIE is a concrete response to the urgent need for action, to the imperative to better listen to populations and to strengthen collective vigilance in the face of multiple environmental threats. This tool reflects the Ministry’s ambition to build modern environmental governance, based on inclusion, innovation, and accountability,” he said.

    The SRIE coordinator, Jean-Yves Kouacou, who is also Director of Information Technology and Documentation, stated that the SRIE represents “an essential operational lever for anticipating, identifying and responding effectively to environmental incidents throughout the country.”

    The ceremony also featured a panel discussion on the theme of “Environment and Digitalization: How Does the SRIE Contribute to Improving Environmental Incident Management?” This panel allowed experts to explore the issues surrounding the digitalization of environmental action in greater depth.

    Deployed as part of the digitalization of public services, the SRIE also aims to improve coordination between the technical structures involved in the management of environmental alerts and to provide greater transparency on the actions taken.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.

    MIL OSI Africa –