NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-Evening Report: Liberal Party reclaims Goldstein – how Tim Wilson turned back the Teal tidal wave

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hayman, PhD Candidate and Casual Academic in Politics, La Trobe University

    Tim Wilson’s victory over independent MP Zoe Daniel to reclaim his Melbourne seat of Goldstein has grabbed post-election headlines.

    He is the only Liberal to achieve such a feat since six Teals stormed inner-city blue-ribbon seats at the 2022 election. Wilson’s return to parliament has triggered talk of a possible tilt for the Liberal Party leadership.

    How remarkable was his victory in Goldstein? Could his successful campaign be a template for other Liberals hoping to seize back territory from the Teals?

    Coalition fightback

    Other coalition candidates also triumphed over high-profile independents.

    The Liberal Party has retained Bradfield, with Gisele Kapterian edging out Teal candidate Nicolette Boele.

    Frontbencher Dan Tehan held off a strong challenge from Alex Dyson in Wannon. Likewise, backbencher Pat Conaghan, who was challenged by Caz Heise in Cowper.

    Meanwhile in Kooyong, Amelia Hamer fell just short of Teal MP Monique Ryan.

    Growing support

    Despite the setbacks in some seats, the community independents movement is stronger than ever in 2025.

    Curtin’s Kate Chaney was widely tipped to lose her seat, but she was returned with a small two-party preferred swing.

    Other crossbenchers are back in Clark, Indi, Mackellar, Mayo, Warringah and Wentworth.

    Independent Dai Le who is not aligned with the Teals, was returned in Fowler. So, too, Andrew Gee in Calare.

    Independents received strong support from a number of quarters.

    Climate 200 funded 35 candidates, up from 22 three years ago. The Regional Voices Fund supported 13 non-metropolitan independents. The volunteer armies knocking on doors were larger than ever before.

    Voters responded. On the latest count, Labor’s primary vote was less than 35%, while support for the Liberal Party declined to around 32%. Minor parties and independents picked up 33% of the vote, with the Teals doing particularly well, according to ABC election analyst Antony Green:

    All these Teals won from second place last time. This time they are winning from first place.

    Wilson’s success in Goldstein bucked these national trends. So how did he do it?

    Learning the lessons from 2022

    At the last electon, Wilson ran using the same messaging as the national campaign – national security and the economy.

    Wilson repeatedly referred to Daniel as a Climate 200 “fake independent” and reframed the local focus of independents as “parochial”. His campaign was negative and unsuccessful.

    Wilson’s 2025 campaign had a distinct shift in tone. It is clear that he learned many lessons from his Teal rival.

    This time around, he embraced social media with a focus on community and “listening”. Despite a reputation for being combative, his posts showed a positive, hyper-local campaign that did not mention his rival at all.

    When he tapped into national themes, he focused on low inflation, affordable homes and community safety.

    Tim Wilson campaign advertisement for the seat of Goldstein.

    Like the Teals, he also managed to muster an army of volunteers. These grassroots efforts began almost a year before the election, kicked off with forums to hear from the community. Door knocking and high visibility across the electorate made a difference.

    The Jewish vote

    Goldstein is home to a significant concentration of Jewish voters and securing their vote was vital.

    The Israel-Gaza conflict, and the firebombing attack on the orthodox Adass Israel synagogue in nearby Ripponlea, brought the issue of antisemitism to the fore in the lead up to the campaign.

    For Wilson, this was the only issue on which he went negative. Daniel’s campaign described his line of attack as “brutal, hostile and abusive”.

    But it paid off with Wilson recording swings of up to 7.56% across Caulfield and Elsternwick, where the Jewish population is largest. This enabled him to recover much of the ground lost in 2022.

    Teal campaign more negative

    Daniel’s task as an independent MP was to convince voters she delivered for her community. But this was difficult to showcase, given the crowded nature of the crossbench in the 47th parliament.

    Daniel still had a strong grassroots movement behind her. But her messages about Dutton, emphasising his hard man, “Trumpian” character, brought a more negative tone to her campaign.

    Daniel recorded large swings of up to 10% in suburbs such as Moorabbin and Bentleigh, which have a lower socio-economic base than the other parts of the electorate and have traditionally voted Labor.

    But the “Golden Mile” that stretches along the bay from Brighton to Black Rock swung heavily toward Wilson. In wealthier suburbs, such as Hampton, he secured swings of up to 10% in the two-party preferred count.

    With such narrow margins, these shifts were enough to change the outcome.

    Building momentum

    Wilson won in part by adopting the campaign strategies used by the Teals. We should expect to see more candidates – including from the major parties – using these tools in future elections.

    Despite Daniel’s defeat, support for community candidates grew in 2025. But to overcome institutional barriers and the vagaries of preferences, independents will need to continue to build on their momentum.

    In 2028, the new election donations laws will also be in effect, which will limit the war chests raised by community independents.

    Campaigning skills and strategy will prove more important than ever.

    Phoebe Hayman receives funding from the Department of Education via a Research Training Scholarship.

    Amy Nethery 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. Liberal Party reclaims Goldstein – how Tim Wilson turned back the Teal tidal wave – https://theconversation.com/liberal-party-reclaims-goldstein-how-tim-wilson-turned-back-the-teal-tidal-wave-256201

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: S. Shakthidharan’s ambitious play The Wrong Gods is a profound critique of progress and modernity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niro Kandasamy, Lecturer in History, University of Sydney

    Brett Boardman/Belvoir

    S. Shakthidharan is one of Australian theatre’s most prominent writers and directors. His Counting and Cracking (2019) and The Jungle and the Sea (2022) received critical acclaim and toured internationally.

    These plays focused on armed conflict and displacement in Tamil Eelam, Sri Lanka. Shakthidharan’s new play shifts settings across the Palk Strait to the contemporary struggles of a remote Indian village fending off the ravages of modernity.

    The Wrong Gods, directed by Shakthidharan with Hannah Goodwin, is an ambitious play with an all-female and brown cast. It traces the triumphs and tribulations of single mother Nirmala (Nadie Kammallaweera), fighting to protect her family and valley from the “new” world built on the promise of progress.

    In an era of multiple crises, the play draws attention to global Indigenous connections to the natural world – in striking contrast to the extractive and capitalist logics of most modern development.

    The ‘old’ and the ‘new’

    Nirmala is worried as her daughter, Isha (Radhika Mudaliyar), is loosing interest and confidence in Indigenous practices. Nirmala is determined to ensure Isha not only remembers what to do in the valley but understands why.

    Isha is a curious girl with a soaring imagination. Her dreams appear wild: she wants to finish school and become a scientist. A few school lessons in the city open Isha to a new world, to “new gods”, unlike the gods she’s used to of the river and her natural surroundings.

    Nirmala insists her daughter remain in the valley; Isha seeks to venture out and discover a different world.
    Brett Boardman/Belvoir

    When Lakshmi (Vaishnavi Suryaprakash) arrives uninvited, Nirmala and Isha are cautious and weary. But Lakshmi has big plans for the valley. She introduces Nirmala to new farming methods and crop varieties. To sweeten the deal, Lakshmi offers to pay for Isha’s university education.

    Nirmala and Isha are both initially doubtful about Lakshmi’s intentions. To mark their differences, Isha points out to Lakshmi she is an upper caste woman from the city whose entire world view is different to hers.

    This is the only reference to caste in the play, and its introduction here feels tokenistic. The reference points to longstanding social inequalities in which lower caste groups have been denied greater access to employment, education and cultural capital, but Shakthidharan passes over it too quickly. This aspect of the plot warranted further attention.

    Nirmala accepts Lakshmi’s offer. Isha is overwhelmed with joy at the thought of pursuing an education. Armed with enthusiasm and a thirst for “new” knowledge, she immediately departs for the city.

    Personal and political battles

    The Wrong Gods speaks to the harms of “saviours” whose actions are masked under the guise of progress and empowerment.

    Nirmala and her village are viewed by Lakshmi as backward, vulnerable and in need of protection. Lakshmi is cast in a paternalist role: she sees her intervention not only as justified economically, but as the morally correct thing to do.

    Lakshmi’s words – however promising and life changing they sound – reproduce elite and exclusionary ideas that ignore ways of living that have survived thousands of years.

    The Wrong Gods speaks to the harms of ‘saviours’ whose actions are masked under the guise of progress and empowerment.
    Brett Boardman/Belvoir

    After several years, Isha returns to the valley as the scientist for the organisation her mother has been mobilising against. With Lakshmi by her side, Isha tells her mother the dam project will flood the valley and displace the farmers. Nirmala is devastated and furious.

    After a few tense moments that see Nirmala and Isha locked in an aruval (machete variety) battle, they realise Lakshmi had known about this outcome from the beginning. This realisation is far too late.

    Nirmala decides to stay in the valley and fight – even if it means dying. She tells her daughter to return to the city to inform people about their plight and prevent the further depletion of native lands and waterways.

    ‘Development’ for whom?

    The Wrong Gods is a critique of progress and modernity, and Shakthidharan carefully strikes the right balance between the personal, structural and political.

    As Nirmala’s protest actions grow stronger, she must face the reality her daughter is trying to negotiate the needs of two worlds. The interactions between characters and their competing views moves seamlessly across the unfolding scenes, while the audience gets a clearer sense of the entanglements of the challenges playing out in Nirmala and Isha’s lives.

    Costumes by Keerthi Subramanyam, who also designed the set, contribute to the play’s critique of progress. Nirmala wears a saree and carries a small purse for food. While Lakshmi wears a churidar set during her first meeting when she is trying to woo favour, she wears a suit on her second visit. Like Lakshmi, Isha returns to the valley wearing a power suit, evoking a sense of authority and upward economic mobility.

    Costumes by Keerthi Subramanyam contribute to the play’s critique of progress.
    Brett Boardman/Belvoir

    The Wrong Gods grapples with the more-than-human worlds at stake amid multiple crises. Through his play, Shakthidharan suggests we should begin addressing the growing needs of our planet by overcoming structural challenges. Doing so may prevent us from reaching solutions which do not displace people or deplete natural resources. Brilliant acting by the cast makes clear the profound emotions of bearing witness to an environmental destruction that is entirely preventable.

    We must prioritise and embed local knowledges to address some of the biggest challenges facing us today. Failure to do so will only worsen both man-made and natural crises – and there will be no gods, right or wrong, to save us.

    The Wrong Gods is at Belvior Theatre, Sydney, until May 31, then Melbourne Theatre Company from June 6 to July 12.

    Niro Kandasamy 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. S. Shakthidharan’s ambitious play The Wrong Gods is a profound critique of progress and modernity – https://theconversation.com/s-shakthidharans-ambitious-play-the-wrong-gods-is-a-profound-critique-of-progress-and-modernity-255512

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Restaurant fire kills 22 in northeast China’s Liaoning

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The fire broke out at 12:25 p.m. (0425 GMT) in a restaurant in a residential area of Liaoning Province’s Liaoyang City, state broadcaster CCTV said. Three people were injured.

    Footage circulating on social media including X and Chinese platform Douyin, unverified by Reuters, showed bright orange flames engulfing a storefront on street level alongside scores of parked vehicles. Smoke was seen billowing out as paramedics tended to people on stretchers.

    Hao Peng, secretary of Liaoning’s provincial ruling party committee, said 22 fire trucks and 85 firefighters were deployed to the scene. Hao said the on-site rescue work had been completed and people had been evacuated.

    It was the latest in a spate of similar incidents across the country in recent years. In April, 20 people were killed in a fire that broke out in an apartment for the elderly at a nursing home in the northern province of Hebei.

    Gas leaks caused at least two high-profile explosions in residential areas last year, with a blast at a restaurant in Hebei province killing two people and injuring 26 in March, and an explosion in a highrise building in southern Shenzhen province in September killing one person.

    (Reuters)

  • OpenAI dials back conversion plan, nonprofit to retain control

    Source: Government of India (4)

    OpenAI has dialed back a significant restructuring plan, with its nonprofit parent retaining control in a move that is likely to limit CEO Sam Altman’s power over the pioneering maker of ChatGPT.
     
    The announcement follows a storm of criticism and legal challenges, including a high-profile lawsuit filed by rival and co-founder Elon Musk, who has accused OpenAI of straying from its founding mission to develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
     
    “OpenAI was founded as a non-profit, is today a non-profit that oversees and controls the for-profit, and going forward will remain a non-profit that oversees and controls the for-profit. That will not change,” Altman said in a blog post on Monday.
     
    OpenAI had outlined plans in December to convert its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation, a structure designed to balance shareholder returns with social goals, unlike nonprofits, which are solely focused on the public good. Under that proposal, the nonprofit parent would have been a big shareholder in the PBC but would cede control over the startup.
     
    On Monday, OpenAI said the nonprofit parent would continue to control the PBC and become a big shareholder in it. The company will push ahead with plans to change the structure of its for-profit arm to allow more capital-raising to keep pace in the AI race.
     
    The move to an outright for-profit was intended to help OpenAI raise more capital and ease restrictions tied to its nonprofit parent. But it sparked concerns over whether the company would fairly allocate assets to the nonprofit and how it would balance profit-making with its mission to develop AI for the public good.
     
    “We made the decision for the nonprofit to stay in control after hearing from civic leaders and having discussions with the offices of the Attorneys General of California and Delaware,” Bret Taylor, chairman of OpenAI’s board, said in a blog post, adding that the new announcement meant the startup would continue to have a structure “extremely close” to the current one.
     
    Altman called the move a compromise “that (works) well enough for investors that they’re happy to continue to fund us to a degree we think we will need.” He said OpenAI would work with major backer Microsoft, regulators and newly appointed nonprofit commissioners to finalize the updated plan, and decide how much equity stake in the for-profit business each party would receive.
     
    “We believe this is well over the bar of what we need to be able to fundraise,” Altman said, adding there were “no changes to any existing investor relationships” and that the company would proceed with the earlier plan to remove caps on the profit that investors can earn.
     
    But questions remain over what exactly was changing, and what level of control the non-profit will have under the newly proposed plan, which lacks details. Currently, OpenAI’s nonprofit fully owns the for-profit entity, and the nonprofit board’s mission is ensuring that “artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity,” instead of providing value for shareholders.
     
    “We’re glad that OpenAI is listening to concerns from civil society leaders … but crucial questions remain,” said Page Hedley, OpenAI’s former policy and ethics adviser, and lead organizer of the group Not For Private Gain.
     
    “Will OpenAI’s commercial goals continue to be legally subordinate to its charitable mission? Who will own the technology that OpenAI develops? The 2019 restructuring announcement made the primacy of the mission very clear, but so far, these statements have not,” he said. He added he was concerned that in the PBC structure, the board would be obligated to maximize shareholder value.
     
    MUSK SUIT TO PROCEED
     
    As the expensive pursuit of artificial general intelligence, or AI that surpasses human intelligence, heats up, OpenAI has been looking to make changes to attract further investment.
     
    It announced in March it would raise up to $40 billion in a new funding round led by SoftBank Group at a $300 billion valuation. The round was contingent on the AI firm transitioning to for-profit status by the end of the year, a structure that drew attention in November 2023 during one of the biggest boardroom dramas in Silicon Valley, where members of the nonprofit board ousted Altman over a breakdown in communication and loss of trust. He was reinstated after five days, following an outpouring of support from employees and investors.
     
    Altman said OpenAI would still be able to receive funding from the Japanese tech investor after Monday’s move.
     
    SoftBank did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while Microsoft declined to comment.
     
    The announcement also came amid a bitter legal battle brought by OpenAI co-founder Elon Musk, which sought to block OpenAI’s transition away from nonprofit control, among other claims. A jury trial had been scheduled for March 2026.
     
    Musk’s lawyer said there was no plan to drop the lawsuit against OpenAI.
     
    “The announcement obscures critical details about the supposed ‘non-profit control’ arrangement, and particularly the sharply reduced ownership stake the non-profit will receive in Altman’s for-profit enterprise – where the non-profit currently holds majority equity.”
     
    A consortium led by Musk had also made an unsolicited $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI earlier this year that was swiftly rebuffed by Altman with a “no thank you.”
     
    –Reuters

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Training Exercise Firestorm at the Darwin Convention Centre

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    On Thursday 8 May 2025, the Northern Territory Police Force in partnership with the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service, conducted a large-scale training exercise at the Darwin Convention Centre.

    The purpose of the exercise was to test the response to a large-scale critical incident from the operational to executive level, as part of the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee obligations. The exercise focused on a HAZMAT and mass casualty incident and involved more than 120 role players, with 100 emergency services personal responding. Simulated chemical incidents and gunfire were used throughout the venue and role players had special effects make-up applied to simulate realistic injuries, significantly enhancing training outcomes. Both General Duties Police and Specialist Police were deployed to the Convention Centre to safely resolve the situation.

    The NT Police Force and NT Fire and Rescue Service would like to thank the following key stakeholder’s assistance was invaluable to the execution of this training exercise:

    • The Darwin Convention Centre and staff
    • The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre and staff
    • The United States of America Marines from the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin
    • The Northern Territory Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet staff
    • Soldiers from The 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment
    • Soldiers from The 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • Soldiers from The North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE)
    • Northern Territory Government Department of Health
    • St John Ambulance Northern Territory
    • Northern Territory Junior Police Rangers and families

    Exercise Directing Staff, Acting Commander Jakson Evans said, “The exercise was an outstanding success. This rare training opportunity tested current practices and provided significant lessons for both agencies.

    “This ensures the agencies are appropriately prepared to serve and protect the people of the Northern Territory and effectively respond to this type of incident.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Challenge Camp inspires strength, confidence, and connection among CFA women

    Source:

    Recently women of CFA from all over the state gathered at their respective regional Women’s Challenge Camps to break down barriers and push themselves out of their comfort zones.

    The camps are run over one weekend in each CFA region to provide the women in that area the opportunity to face physical and mental challenges together while delving into personal development, leadership, team building and networking sessions. 

    The South East region are trail blazers of the Women’s Challenge Camp, celebrating their seventh annual weekend this year from 2 to 4 May in Allambee.  

    Participant and District 9 Headquarters brigade member Amy Dalrymple said that the camp was hugely beneficial to her.  

    “I left challenge camp feeling reinvigorated, inspired and empowered to be a more confident and driven version of myself, and to trust in my values and keep them at the forefront of my thoughts and choices,” Amy said. 

    “The networking and relationships I was able to build were amazing, not only for CFA but for my professional development too.”  

    In the North East, women gathered at the Ovens Valley Homestead on the same weekend to enjoy their inaugural Women’s Challenge Camp.  

    Organiser and member of the Volunteer Sustainability Team in the region, Tanya Lumley, said it was important to create spaces like these for women within CFA so they can learn and feel supported.  

    “The goal is to have more people learn about themselves in a space where there are no barriers, real or perceived, where they can speak up and really step into themselves,” Tanya said.  

    “The camp is a chance for women to be further supported and encouraged, where they can step into new spaces and new conversations with 50 other like-minded people around to catch them.” 

    Participants enjoyed a panel discussion from pioneering women within CFA who spoke about challenging stereotypes and building your own self-confidence and pushed their bodies to complete outdoor challenge activities. The women also had the opportunity to ask questions of the Deputy Chief Officer and Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer from the area.  

    The west of the state kicked off the camps this year across the weekend of 25-27 April, and Halls Gap firefighter and participant Nicki Van Veen said the women particularly enjoyed listening to each other’s stories. 

    “It was an extraordinary weekend with incredible women,” Nicki said.  

    “I am blown away by how much fun I had, how much I learned, and how much I laughed.” 

    The North West and the South West region will host their camps later this month. 

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland Regional Parks track update

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    This update is our first in a series covering what’s been done and what’s to come in Auckland Council’s efforts to maintain and renew our extensive network of regional park tracks.

    In the two years since the Auckland storms impacted 79 regional park tracks, Auckland Council rangers, engineers and contractors have made strong and steady progress to repair damage in all the hardest hit areas. Most tracks are safe once again for visitors to enjoy.

    To the west, the landscape in the Waitākere Ranges and Muriwai regional parks was scarred with slips, tree and track damage. Bridges were washed away and ground stability issues presented a challenging list of complex and costly repair jobs.

    Only a handful of tracks in West Auckland escaped unscathed (11 of the 60 forest and coastal walks that were open when the storms hit), requiring 49 tracks to close due to serious safety concerns. 

    Thanks to the council’s continued recovery effort, the council’s western rangers have reopened 39 tracks in a relatively short timeframe and another five are partially open to visitors again.   

    In the south, all 25 regional park tracks damaged when the storms swept through have now been restored and re-opened to visitors.

    To the north, a handful of tracks closed as a result of storm damage but have now reopened, providing a total network of 54 tracks around northern regional parks to enjoy.   

    The few remaining tracks in West Auckland that are still closed because of storm damage present the most challenging issues due to the scale and extent of damage that occurred, as detailed in the checklist below. 

    Regional Parks Manager Scott De Silva says ongoing geotechnical investigation is needed at most of these sites to see whether significant, costly repair work is the best course of action.

    “There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to ensure we manage track restoration in the best way possible, to increase resilience and keep the public safe,” says Scott.

    “Tracks that remain closed are not safe – it is important that people stay off them. We have so many other options to choose from that you won’t run out of choices.”

    Regional Parks continue to attract high visitor numbers, drawing more than 1 million people during January 2025.  

    Kauri dieback remains an ongoing concern in our native forests and continues to require the careful management of tracks where there is a risk of this disease being spread. The council is working with Tiakina Kauri, iwi, local boards and interested communities to effectively manage the impacts of kauri dieback in multiple locations, most notably in the Waitākere Ranges and Hūnua Ranges regional parks.

    In some areas, this calls for the need to minimise foot traffic to protect the environment by keeping tracks closed. In other areas, this will require more significant upgrades to allow people to return.

    The Governing Body will consider Auckland’s Regional Parks track programme and associated funding in July 2025. Approval of the programme will enable council staff to undertake the work programme for 2025/26.

    Track checklist – as of May 2025

    More information on the status of Auckland’s regional park tracks is available via this PDF [69.8KB].

     Planning to visit an Auckland regional park?

    • Check our map of walking tracks before leaving home, to see which tracks are open.

    • Stay safe and keep our forests healthy. Closed tracks are unsafe or managing a biosecurity risk – please follow the instructions on signage and choose a track that is clearly marked as open.

    • Be vigilant about using kauri dieback stations. Simple actions like cleaning footwear and gear before and after visiting will help us to continue to protect kauri.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at HKQAA International Sustainability Forum – Hong Kong 2025 (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the pre-recorded video speech by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, at the HKQAA International Sustainability Forum – Hong Kong 2025 today (May 12):

    Chairman Ho (Chairman of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA), Mr Ho Chi-shing), Chin-wan (Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
         Good morning. It is my great pleasure to address you at the HKQAA’s annual international sustainability forum, a platform gathering relevant stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to discuss important issues of sustainability. This year’s theme, “Seizing Green Finance Opportunities in the Low-Carbon Transition of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Greater Bay Area (GBA)”, is highly relevant and timely amid the global shift and increasing awareness towards sustainability, and the rising importance of green and sustainable finance in supporting green transition and achieving carbon neutrality for the world. Pursuing the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, both our country and our city look beyond the current geopolitical environment and the instability it brings, and are committed to promoting a low-carbon economy, green finance, and supporting green development in the Belt and Road region.
     
    Hong Kong as a premier international financial centre
     
         Being a premier international financial centre, Hong Kong also plays a part in supporting green development and transition in the region by mobilising cross-border investments to address climate and sustainability challenges. The Government, along with financial regulators and stakeholders, has been making efforts in enhancing the ecosystem of the green and sustainable finance market through a multipronged approach, namely (i) providing diversified green investment products; (ii) aligning with international standards; and (iii) supporting market development.
     
    Providing diversified green investment products
     
         Our capital market provides a wide range of green and sustainable investment products. In 2024, the volume of green and sustainable bonds arranged in Hong Kong amounted to around US$43 billion, ranking first in the Asian market for seven consecutive years since 2018 and capturing around 45 per cent of the regional total. As of March this year, the number of ESG (environmental, social and governance) funds authorised by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) was around 220 with assets under management of around HK$1.1 trillion – an increase of 80 per cent over the past three years.
     
         The Government Sustainable Bond Programme, formerly known as the Green Bond Programme, continues to play a leading role in funding local green initiatives. Since 2019, we have issued an equivalent of over HK$220 billion in green bonds across multiple currencies and tenors, including institutional, retail and tokenised tranches. Last year, we expanded the programme to include sustainable projects, reinforcing our commitment to broader environmental and social goals while setting important benchmarks for the market.
     
         We are also building the market infrastructure needed to connect capital with carbon-related products in Hong Kong, the Mainland, Asia and beyond. In 2022, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) launched the Core Climate, an international carbon marketplace. It facilitates transparent, efficient trading of high-quality carbon credits from certified projects across Asia, South America, and West Africa. Sectors such as forestry, wind, solar, and biomass are represented, offering opportunities for enterprises in the GBA and Belt and Road economies to support their own Net Zero transitions.
     
    Alignment with international standards
     
    Sustainability reporting
     
         As global awareness of sustainability grows, consistent and reliable information becomes essential for investors and businesses to manage risk and allocate capital effectively. We launched in December last year the Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure in Hong Kong. This provides a clear path for large publicly accountable entities to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) – Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) by 2028. This move places Hong Kong among the first jurisdictions to align local reporting requirements with the global baseline, enhancing transparency and comparability in sustainable finance. The roadmap not only reflects our commitment to the global green transition but also offers clarity and guidance to market participants.
     
    Taxonomy
     
         A shared understanding of what constitutes “green” is vital. In May 2024, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. This important tool supports the market by offering a standardised classification of green activities, aligned with the Common Ground Taxonomy to ensure interoperability with taxonomies in Mainland China and the European Union. The initial phase of the taxonomy covers 12 activities across four key sectors: power generation, transportation, construction, and water and waste management. As a living framework, the taxonomy will continue to evolve. The HKMA has embarked on the next phase development to expand the scope of sectors and economic activities, including transition activities.
     
    Supporting market development
     
         To promote the green financing activity in Hong Kong, we launched the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme in 2021. The scheme offers subsidies to eligible bond issuers and loan borrowers to help cover issuance and external review costs. Extended to 2027, its scope now also includes transition bonds and loans. This expansion will help encourage industries across the GBA and Belt and Road economies to leverage Hong Kong’s platform to finance their low-carbon transitions and contribute to global sustainability goals.
     
         We are also investing in innovation. Green fintech is an important enabler of scalable sustainability solutions. We launched the Green and Sustainable Fintech Proof-of-Concept Funding Support Scheme in June last year to provide early-stage funding to support technology companies or research institutes conducting green fintech activities to collaborate with local enterprises, and to co-develop new projects in the market addressing industry pain points. So far, 60 projects have been approved, reflecting the vibrant potential of Hong Kong’s green fintech ecosystem.
     
    Hong Kong’s unique position to support countries of the Belt and Road Initiative
     
         Hong Kong continues to serve as a bridge between Mainland China and the wider Belt and Road region. We actively promote regional co-operation through strategic platforms and exchanges. In April this year, the HKEX and the SFC co-hosted the inaugural International Carbon Markets Summit. The event brought together more than 200 global participants, including regulators, carbon trading platforms, corporates, and investors. The Summit marked a step forward in building trusted, effective carbon market ecosystems that support the sustainable development goals of Belt and Road economies.
     
         We also continue to convene the annual Asian Financial Forum (AFF) to foster international dialogue. In January this year, the 18th AFF featured a new milestone: the launch of a dedicated chapter co-hosted with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This marked an important milestone in fostering collaboration in financial services such as investments in green energy between Hong Kong and GCC member states.
     
         Climate change presents one of the greatest risks to our global economy. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters require new financial tools to build resilience. Hong Kong is taking a leading role in this area by developing the insurance-linked securities (ILS) and catastrophe bonds market.
     
         Since the launch of our ILS framework in 2021, seven catastrophe bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, raising over US$800 million in coverage against risks such as typhoons and earthquakes. These instruments provide critical risk mitigation solutions for both corporates and governments. To further support this market, we extended our Pilot ILS Grant Scheme to 2028, providing subsidies to issuers of ILS and supporting the growth of Hong Kong-based service providers. These efforts reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a centre for innovative risk management in the face of climate change.
     
    HKQAA’s contributions
     
         I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the HKQAA for its contributions to the development of green finance in Hong Kong. The HKQAA has been participating in the development of international standards for sustainable finance and launched the Green and Sustainable Finance Certification Scheme (formerly called Green Finance Certification Scheme) in 2018.
     
         I am delighted to know that the HKQAA also supports the development of a roadmap for sustainability disclosure in our country by contributing to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance and Economy’s pilot project for sustainability disclosure and talent development. At home, it has supported Hong Kong’s own disclosure roadmap by establishing industry-specific climate risk tools to help local businesses prepare for future reporting requirements.
     
         The HKQAA has also forged partnerships with the Belt and Road International Green Development Alliance, helping regional partners access global capital markets and implement green financing solutions. Its work exemplifies the kind of cross-sector, cross-border collaboration that is essential for sustainable growth.
     
    Closing
     
         Looking forward, I am confident that the opportunities in green finance – particularly in supporting the low-carbon transition of the Belt and Road region and the GBA – will continue to expand. Today’s forum offers valuable insights into the path toward sustainability, a journey that calls for steadfast commitment, continuous innovation, and deep cross-regional collaboration. As we move forward, the Government remains committed to working hand in hand with the industry and all stakeholders to build a greener, more resilient future for Hong Kong and the wider region. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 5.5-magnitude quake hits China’s Xizang, no casualties reported

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

    A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Lhaze County in Xigaze City in southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region at 5:11 a.m. Monday, with no casualties reported, according to local authorities.

    The epicenter was monitored at 28.91 degrees north latitude and 87.54 degrees east longitude. The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

    Local authorities in the county told Xinhua that the quake was strongly felt, waking some residents.

    Following the earthquake, the county promptly initiated response measures, with its townships assessing the impact. Fire and rescue teams from the county have been dispatched to the epicenter.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Gang members arrested after funeral home arson

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police have this morning arrested a patched Mongrel Mob member in relation to an arson at a Māngere Bridge funeral home last month.

    Investigations had been underway following a fire at a funeral home on Kirkbride Road at about 11.50pm on 27 April.

    The building sustained minor damage and there were no injuries reported as a result, however Police have been working hard to identify and located those responsible.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward, Counties Manukau CIB, says officers executed four search warrants at addresses connected to the Mongrel Mob across South Auckland.

    “As a result of these search warrants we have arrested a patched member who has been charged with arson (endangering life).

    “Police also located a pump action shotgun and ammunition at the one of the addresses.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Hayward says two other patched gang members present at the address were also arrested for breaching bail and another in relation to an unrelated serious assault.

    “What was of real concern was that there were children present at the address the firearm was located at.

    “However, overall this is a pleasing outcome in that we have been able to catch up with the alleged offender and take another firearm out of circulation in the community.”

    A 30-year-old man will appear in Manukau District Court tomorrow charged with the arson.

    Another man, aged 34, has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and will appear in Manukau District Court tomorrow.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 12, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 12, 2025.

    Victoria’s planning reforms could help solve the housing crisis. But they are under threat
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute An aerial drone view of northern Melbourne suburbs. Elias Bitar/Shutterstock The federal election campaign was dominated by the housing crisis. But the real power to solve it rests with the states. In Victoria, reforms are underway that

    Footy’s ‘code wars’ are back, but which is actually the No. 1 Australian sport: the NRL or AFL?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney NRL Photos, Matt Turner/AAP, Wikimedia, The Conversation, CC BY Every now and then, so-called “code wars” erupt between the major Australia winter football codes: the National Rugby League (NRL) and the Australian Football League (AFL). This

    A prisoner voting ban shows again how few checks there are on parliamentary power
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Winter, Associate Professor in Political Theory, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith’s recent announcement that the government would reinstate a total ban on prisoners voting was in keeping with the coalition’s overall tough-on-crime approach. The move was called “ridiculous” and

    ‘We’re just doing our best’ – cultural backlash hits Auckland kava business
    By Coco Lance, RNZ Pacific digital journalist A new Auckland-based kava business has found itself at the heart of a cultural debate, with critics raising concerns about appropriation, authenticity, and the future of kava as a deeply rooted Pacific tradition. Vibes Kava, co-founded by Charles Byram and Derek Hillen, operates out of New Leaf Kombucha

    ‘Fighting more frequent now’ – researcher warns of escalating West Papua conflict
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist The escalation of violence in West Papua is on par with some of the most intense times of conflict over the past six decades, a human rights researcher says. The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) claims that Indonesia killed at least one civilian and severely injured another

    India-Pakistan ceasefire shouldn’t disguise fact that norms have changed in South Asia, making future de-escalation much harder
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Farah N. Jan, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Pennsylvania A member of the Indian Border Security Force stands guard near the India-Pakistan border. Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images India and Pakistan have seen the scenario play out before: a terror attack in which Indians are

    Homer’s Iliad is a rap battle
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Forstenzer, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Co-Director of the Centre for Engaged Philosophy, University of Sheffield The Anger of Achilles by Jacques-Louis David (1819). Kimbell Art Museum Homer’s Iliad is one of the foundational stories of European civilisation. The Iliad is a long poem – an

    Major brands don’t need to kowtow to Trump: they have the power to bring people together
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Beverland, Professor of Brand Management, University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex Whatever you think of his personality or politics, it’s impossible to deny the success of Donald Trump as a brand. Supporters and detractors across the world are transfixed by his second term as

    Meteorites and marsquakes hint at an underground ocean of liquid water on the Red Planet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hrvoje Tkalčić, Professor, Head of Geophysics, Director of Warramunga Array, Australian National University UAESA / MBRSC / Hope Mars Mission / EXI / Andrea Luck, CC BY Evidence is mounting that a secret lies beneath the dusty red plains of Mars, one that could redefine our view

    Why doesn’t Australia make more medicines? Wouldn’t that fix drug shortages?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Coomber, PhD Candidate, Pharmaceutical Supply Chains, The University of Queensland IM Imagery/Shutterstock About 400 medicines are in short supply in Australia. Of these, about 30 are categorised as critical. These are ones with a life-threatening or serious impact on patients, and with no readily available substitutes.

    Farmers fear dingoes are eating their livestock – but predator poo tells an unexpected story
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Mason, PhD candidate in Conservation Biology, Deakin University Kristian Bell/Shutterstock Killing carnivores to protect livestock, wildlife and people is an emotive and controversial issue that can cause community conflict. Difficult decisions about managing predators must be supported by strong scientific evidence. In Australia, predators such as

    ‘Cutting off communications’ – did Trump really just turn his back on Israel?
    ANALYSIS: By Robert Inlakesh Israel is in a weak position and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s extremism knows no bounds. The only other way around an eventual regional war is the ousting of the Israeli prime minister. US President Donald Trump has closed his line of communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to various

    View from The Hill: if Jacinta Nampijinpa Price became Liberal deputy it would be a wild ride
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s confirmation she will run for Liberal deputy has put the members of an already shell-shocked party into a new spin. Tuesday’s leadership contest, where the numbers are said to be tight, is a battle for the direction

    Dumped minister Ed Husic labels Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles ‘factional assassin’
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Industry Minister Ed Husic, dumped from the frontbench ahead of Anthony Albanese’s announcement of his new ministry, has made an excoriating attack on Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, describing him as a “factional assassin”. Marles, chief of the Victorian right,

    Philippine advocacy group condemns NZ military pact with Manila, rejects election violence
    Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa Philippines Solidarity national assembly has condemned the National Party-led Coalition government in New Zealand over signing a “deplorable” visiting forces agreement with the Philippine government “Given the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ appalling human rights record and continuing attacks on activists in the Philippines, it is deplorable for the New

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Comet, rocket, space junk or meteor? Here’s how to tell your fireballs apart

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. I. Brown, Associate Professor in Astronomy, Monash University

    A blaze of light streaks across the sky, but what is it? Wendy Miller/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    There’s a blaze of light across the sky! A fireball is seen by thousands, and mobile phone and dashcam footage soon appears on social media.

    But what have people just seen? A mix of social media hashtags suggests confusion about what has streaked overhead. Was it a Soviet Venus probe? Was it one of Elon Musk’s satellites or rockets? Was it a meteor? Was it a comet?

    While these objects have some similarities, there are crucial differences that can help us work out what just passed over our heads.

    Shooting stars, meteors and comets

    Shooting stars can often be seen on dark, clear nights in the countryside as brief flashes of light travelling across the sky. Usually, they are gone in just a second or two.

    To capture a shooting star with this level of detail, your camera settings need to be just right, because they are very brief flashes of light.
    Andrew Xu/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Shooting “stars” are not stars, of course. They are produced by dust and pebbles burning up high in the atmosphere, typically above 50km in altitude. Comets are often a source of this dust, and regular showers of shooting stars happen when Earth travels through comets’ orbits.

    Sometimes shooting stars burn with colours that reflect their composition – including iron, magnesium and calcium.

    Meteors and shooting stars are actually the same thing. But when people talk about meteors, they often mean bigger and brighter events – bolides. Bolides result from rocks and boulders plunging into Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in bright flashes of light that can outshine all the stars and planets in the night sky.

    Bolides can reach the lower atmosphere and sometimes produce audible sonic booms. Occasionally pieces of the bolide – meteorites – even make it to Earth’s surface.

    The Chelyabinsk fireball was a bolide.

    While bolides can survive longer than shooting stars, they also don’t last for long. As they are initially travelling at tens of kilometres per second, they don’t take long to traverse the atmosphere.

    The Chelyabinsk meteor, the largest bolide known to impact Earth in over a century, shone brightly for only 20 seconds or so.

    If you see something blaze across the sky, it almost certainly isn’t a comet. Comets are so far away from us that their vast speeds are imperceptible to the human eye. Furthermore, while comets are sometimes depicted as fiery, their glow is more subtle.

    Space junk

    Maybe the bright flash you just saw was space junk? Perhaps. The number of orbital rocket launches and satellites has increased rapidly in recent years, and this has resulted in some spectacular reentries, which are often discarded rocket stages.

    Like meteors, space junk travels at vast speeds as it travels through the atmosphere and it begins burning up spectacularly. Also like meteors, you can see colours indicative of the materials burning up, such as steel and aluminium. However, there are a few things that distinguish space junk from meteors.

    When rockets and satellites are launched into orbit, they typically travel along paths that roughly follow Earth’s curvature. So when space junk begins to enter the atmosphere, it’s often travelling almost horizontally.

    Space junk also travels at slower speeds than shooting stars and meteorites, entering Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 8km/s rather than tens of kilometres per second.

    Because of these factors, space junk can take minutes to enter the atmosphere and travels hundreds of kilometres in the process. Over this time, the space junk will slow down and break up into pieces, and the more solidly constructed parts might make it down to Earth.

    The slower pace of space junk fireballs gives people time to grab phones, take footage and post on social media, perhaps with a little colourful commentary added for good measure.

    A Russian rocket reenters the atmosphere over south eastern Australia.

    Rockets

    While space junk can produce a light show, rockets can also put on amazing displays. If you happen to be near Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg Space Force Base in the United States, or Wairoa in Aotearoa New Zealand, then it’s not unexpected to see a rocket launch. You get smoke, flames and thundering noise.

    But in other parts of the world you may get a different view of rockets.

    Rockets that bring satellites into our orbit accelerate to 8km/s. As they do, they travel many hundreds of kilometres at over 100km altitude. American satellite launches often travel near the coast, passing major cities including Los Angeles.

    As rockets approach orbit, they are more subtle than the flames and noise of liftoff. Rockets produce plumes of exhaust gases that rapidly and silently expand in the vacuum of space.

    While these plumes are typically seen near launch sites, they can be visible elsewhere, too.

    Sometimes rocket engines are ignited after reaching an initial orbit to boost satellites to higher orbits, send probes into the Solar System or slow rockets down for reentry. Rockets may also vent excess fuel into space, again producing plumes or spirals of gases. While not necessarily a common occurrence, these have been seen all over the world.

    A deorbit burn over Western Europe.

    Do look up

    There’s a lot to see in the night sky – the familiar Moon, stars and planets. But there’s the unexpected, too – something blazing across the sky in minutes or even mere seconds. While fireballs may be puzzling at first, they are often recognisable and we can figure out what we’ve just witnessed.

    Have you had the good fortune to see a fireball for yourself? If not, pop outside on a clear dark night. Perhaps you will see something unexpected.

    Michael J. I. Brown receives research funding from the Australian Research Council and Monash University.

    – ref. Comet, rocket, space junk or meteor? Here’s how to tell your fireballs apart – https://theconversation.com/comet-rocket-space-junk-or-meteor-heres-how-to-tell-your-fireballs-apart-213083

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Challenge Camp inspires strength, confidence, and connection among women of CFA

    Source:

    Recently women of CFA from all over the state gathered at their respective regional Women’s Challenge Camps to break down barriers and push themselves out of their comfort zones.

    The camps are run over one weekend in each CFA region and provide the women in that area with the opportunity to face physical and mental challenges together while delving into personal development, leadership, team building and networking sessions. 

    The South East region are trail blazers of the Women’s Challenge Camp, celebrating their seventh annual weekend this year 2-4 May in Allambee.  

    Participant and District 9 Headquarters brigade member Amy Dalrymple said that the camp was hugely beneficial to her.  

    “I left challenge camp feeling reinvigorated, inspired and empowered to be a more confident and driven version of myself, and to trust in my values and keep them at the forefront of my thoughts and choices,” Amy said. 

    “The networking and relationships I was able to build were amazing, not only for CFA but for my professional development too.”  

    In the North East, women gathered at the Ovens Valley Homestead on the same weekend to enjoy their inaugural Women’s Challenge Camp.  

    Organiser and member of the Volunteer Sustainability Team in the region, Tanya Lumley, said it was important to create spaces like these for women within CFA so they can learn and feel supported.  

    “The goal is to have more people learn about themselves in a space where there are no barriers, real or perceived, where they can speak up and really step into themselves,” Tanya said.  

    “The camp is a chance for women to be further supported and encouraged, where they can step into new spaces and new conversations with 50 other like-minded people around to catch them.” 

    Participants enjoyed a panel discussion from pioneering women within CFA who spoke about challenging stereotypes and building your own self-confidence and pushed their bodies to complete outdoor challenge activities. The women also had the chance to ask questions of the Deputy Chief Officer and Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer from the area.  

    The west of the state kicked off the camps this year across the weekend of 25-27 April, and Halls Gap firefighter and participant Nicki Van Veen said the women particularly enjoyed listening to each other’s stories. 

    “It was an extraordinary weekend with incredible women,” Nicki said.  

    “I am blown away by how much fun I had, how much I learned, and how much I laughed.” 

    The North West and the South West region will host their camps later this month. 

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Protected Royal Spoonbill euthanised after suffering shotgun injury

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    Date:  12 May 2025

    DOC Hauraki Biodiversity Ranger Rachel Langman says a farmer at Pipiroa, near Thames, discovered the injured bird on his property on Wednesday 7 May. The farmer contacted DOC and suggested the bird had been shot -which was confirmed by a subsequent veterinary assessment.

    The bird was euthanised on Friday, 9 May, based on veterinary advice. X-rays revealed a shattered wing joint where shotgun pellets were found.

    “The bird was quite underweight so we believe it may have been injured for several days before it was found,” Rachel says.

    “This beautiful and defenceless animal has suffered for some time after it was shot.”

    Royal spoonbills are protected under the Wildlife Act, and hunting or killing a protected species can result in a fine of up to $100,000 or two years in prison.

    Anyone who knows about the incident is urged to call 0800 DOC HOT, or email wildlifecrime@doc.govt.nz, and quote case number CLE-9126.

    Fish & Game Auckland/Waikato Chief Executive David Klee says shooting protected birds – including this incident – is unacceptable.

    “Hunters must clearly identify their target and there is no excuse for shooting a royal spoonbill, which bears no resemblance to waterfowl species that can be legally hunted,” he says.

    “Our Code of Conduct states licence holders must ensure they can accurately identify and distinguish game birds from protected species. We have detailed guides in our regulation handbook of the species you can and can’t target.”

    He echoed the call for people to report any information about this incident – or any others in which hunters shoot protected species.

    “All hunters should follow the rules. We have very few incidents like this, but it can bring everyone in the hunting community into disrepute,” David says.

    “Law-abiding hunters – it’s in your interest to report these few rule-breakers.”

    Fish & Game compliance officers have been working alongside DOC staff since the opening of the duck hunting season to ensure hunters are following widely publicised rules for their sport. A Fish & Game compliance team is on call at weekends and will investigate any incidents.

    Warranted Fish & Game officers and Rangers perform thousands of checks across the duck hunting season. Incidents of this nature are very rare, and anyone with information is encouraged to pass it on to Fish & Game or DOC so the agencies can investigate.

    Royal spoonbills are a mobile species found in increasing numbers around New Zealand, and are identifiable through their unique bill, long black legs and white plumage. They feed by distinctively swishing their bill from side to side, while wading through shallow water.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: How To: A Great Walks Booking Guide |

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    Surprise, surprise, the Great Walks booking opening is the biggest event in our booking calendar, with thousands of people from all around the world logging in on each opening day to nab spaces for Great Walks huts and campsites, high demand lodges, sole occupancy and popular campsites. – How to book and what’s new?

    The weather was great so after arriving to the Mintaro Hut we day hiked up to Mackinnon Pass that afternoon. John and Jean in front of Mt Balloon on Mackinnon Pass. Milford Track in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

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    📷: Trampers and Mount Balloon, Mackinnon Pass –
    Strother, John T

    To recap, all DOC facilities for the 2025/26 Great Walk season bookings open between 13 May and 4 June 2025. The booking system opens at 9:30 AM, each opening morning. You need to create an account and have a login ready, if you want to book for this season (make sure you do this ahead of time).

    This year, we’ve introduced a new booking system (details below) and since announcing how this new booking system works, we’ve had loads of questions come through to us asking for more clarity and details.

    ❓Where do I book?
    ❓What is this booking lobby you mentioned?
    ❓How does this queueing process work?
    ❓If I login in early, do I get closer to the front of the queue?
    ❓Is this system fair?
    ❓Can the system cope with the demand this year?

    👇 All these answers and more below. 👇

    www.panafoot.com“,”created_timestamp”:”1330791549″,”copyright”:”u00a92012 John Strother, panafoot@gmail.com”,”focal_length”:”22″,”iso”:”200″,”shutter_speed”:”0.0025″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”120303_jtsg_4114_hjpg_7457717128_o_O2″ data-image-description=”” data-image-caption=”

    Routeburn Flats seen from Routeburn Track within Mt Aspiring National Park on New Zealand’s South Island.

    To read about the great places we have been go to www.panafoot.com

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    📷; Routeburn Flats seen from Routeburn Track
    Strother, John T

    The booking system has been improved with a new industry-leading lobby system, modelled after the major concert-booking companies. it means that not only will this system and process be somewhat familiar, but it should also be able to handle large increases of traffic on opening days and run smoothly for all users.

    What does this mean for me and how does it work?

    Users jumping on the booking system on opening morning will be redirected to a waiting lobby (elevator music may or may not be a part of this experience) and when bookings open at 9:30am, users in the lobby will be transferred to a queue and released into the booking system in a controlled manner. At 9:30 all users already in the lobby will be randomly assigned a place in the queue, meaning there’s no advantage to arriving any earlier to the lobby and that the system is fair and randomised.

    We highly recommend you log in around 9-9:15, sit back with your morning cuppa and wait until you’re processed through. Anyone logging in after 9:30am will be added to the back of the queue.

    Even though this new system should be comfortable handling higher volumes of traffic and process bookings quicker, please be patient and mindful that even though it may feel a little ride or die to get your spot, it isn’t, and that you’re not the only one trying to book at the same time. Try going into this year’s bookings with flexible dates or have multiple date options agreed upon with your group before attempting to book.

    📷: Heaphy Hut – Liz Carlson

    Also, as reassurance, on booking opening days our team doesn’t pack up and go on vacay -job done, we’ll be keeping an eye on things and adjusting the queue flow as we go, with the aim being to make sure there’s no hiccups in the system and that things run quickly and as smoothly as possible.

    Here’s another tip for you – summer holidays are most people’s first pick, so for the best chance of getting a spot at high demand places, consider whether your trip can happen outside those peak weeks – especially for the Milford Track (there’s a good chance of rain regardless of whether you go in January or April!)

    Here’s what we recommend people should do to be fully prepared when bookings open for your experience of choice:

    1. Create an account on the DOC booking system well in advance, if you don’t already have one.
    2. Test out your login details before the opening day (one of the main reasons people miss out on opening days is forgetting their password!).
    3. Read up on the DOC website for the place you’re trying to book – some have rules and restrictions that are important to know before you book, and it’s good to double-check the opening dates.
    4. Familiarise yourself with the booking system – search for availability, even test out making a booking (just empty your cart at the end, rather than paying).
    5. Finally – get online on the opening day at around 9:15 a.m., and we’ll see you in the lobby!

    Finally – get online on the opening day at around 9:15 a.m., and we’ll see you in the lobby!

    📷: Mountain bikers Pike29 Memorial Track – Owen Kilgour

    Key Booking Opening Dates

    Get ready for Great Walks bookings to open!

    The Great Walks bookings opening dates are staggered between 13th – 28th May

    for the 2025/2026 season.

    Great Walks can book out quick so make sure to mark these key dates and times in your calendar!

    Great Walk accommodation bookings

    15th May, 9:30am – Heaphy Track

    15th May, 9:30am – Kepler Track

    15th May, 9:30am – Rakiura Track

    15th May, 9:30am – Hump Ridge

    22nd May, 9:30am – Whanganui Journey

    22nd May, 9:30am – Routeburn Track

    22nd May, 9:30am – Tongariro Northern Circuit

    27th May, 9:30am – Lake Waikaremoana Track

    27th May, 9:30am – Abel Tasman Coast Track

    27th May, 9:30am – Paparoa Track

    28th May, 9:30am – Milford Track

    All other accommodation bookings

    13th May, 9:30am – Backcountry huts

    13th May, 9:30am – lodges,

    13th May, 9:30am – sole occupancy facilities

    20th May, 9:30am – Conservation campsites, except Tōtaranui, Momorangi, Anaura Bay campsites

    21st May, 9:30am – Momorangi campsite

    21st May, 9:30am – Anaura Bay campsite

    4th June, 9:30am – Tōtaranui campsite

    Read tips on how best to bag your Great Walks spot: https://bit.ly/3z1FTpX

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Victoria’s planning reforms could help solve the housing crisis. But they are under threat

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute

    An aerial drone view of northern Melbourne suburbs. Elias Bitar/Shutterstock

    The federal election campaign was dominated by the housing crisis. But the real power to solve it rests with the states.

    In Victoria, reforms are underway that promise a bigger boost to the housing aspirations of younger generations than anything that occurs in the federal parliament.

    Yet these reforms are now under threat of being killed off in the Victorian parliament. If that happens, Victoria will have fewer homes and they will be more expensive, and many more younger Melburnians will be locked out of home ownership.

    We need to build more homes

    At the heart of our housing problem is the fact we just haven’t built enough homes.

    Australia has among the least housing stock per person in the developed world. This is especially true in places where people most want to live: close to jobs, transport, schools and parks.

    The reason is simple: we’ve made it hard to build more townhouses and apartments in the most desirable parts of our biggest cities.

    Like in other states, Victorian state and local governments have long restricted medium- and high-density developments to appease local opposition. The Neighbourhood Residential Zone – the most restrictive residential zone in Victoria – covers more than 42% of residential land within ten kilometres of the Melbourne CBD.

    And the politics of land-use planning – what gets built and where – favour those who oppose change. The people who might live in new housing in established suburbs – if it were to be built – don’t get a say.

    The result is a vast “missing middle”: prime inner-city land, close to jobs and transport, with housing rising only one or two storeys. Melbourne, like Sydney, is one of the least-dense cities of its size in the world, despite the city’s population having risen by 875,000 in the past decade alone. That is the equivalent of almost two Canberras.

    It’s a myth that most Victorians want a quarter-acre block if that means living a long way from jobs, transport, shops and parks. Research by both Grattan Institute and Infrastructure Victoria shows there is substantial demand for townhouses and apartments in established suburbs, if only we built more of them.

    If Melbourne’s middle suburbs – those between two and 20 kilometres from the CBD – were as dense as those of Toronto, that increase in density alone could accommodate all of the 800,000 extra homes the state government plans to build over the next decade.

    The flow-on effect is high prices and rents, a stagnating economy because fewer people can live close to jobs, and further expensive and environmentally damaging sprawl into farmland and floodplains.

    Recent research showed that 8,000 completed apartments in Melbourne remain unsold. Yet this is less than 3% of all apartments in Melbourne, and is unsurprising given past sharp rises in interest rates and increased barriers in selling to foreign buyers.

    That some newly built homes have taken longer to sell is not a reason to prevent the building of those extra homes that so many future Melburnians want to live in.

    Victoria’s planning reforms are our best chance

    Housing can become more affordable if we allow more homes to be built where residents most want to live.

    The Victorian government’s recent reforms, like those in NSW, do just this. Its “activity centre” program will allow more apartments around 60 rail stations and other transport hubs.

    Victoria’s new Townhouse and Low-Rise Code will streamline development approval processes for developments of three storeys or less in residential zones across the state. Where developments meet the code, those new homes will no longer need a planning permit and will be exempt from third-party appeals. This is already the case for knock-down rebuilds.

    These reforms have the potential to unlock hundreds of thousands of extra homes in the coming decades in areas with some of the best infrastructure, amenities and public spaces.

    Similar reforms in Auckland, starting in 2016, contributed to a home building boom that reduced rents by at least 14%. Most of this new stock was townhouses and small apartment buildings, rather than high rises.

    Urban density, if done well, can add to neighbourhood amenity while preserving local green space. Several cities with similar populations but higher densities – such as Toronto and Berlin – match or outrank Melbourne on quality-of-life measures.

    These reforms are now under threat

    These changes do not dictate where housing must be built in Melbourne: they simply permit more housing where demand is highest.

    Yet these reforms are now under threat. The Victorian Liberals and the Greens have teamed up to launch an inquiry into the state Labor government’s reforms. The inquiry is scheduled to report on Tuesday, just one day before the deadline for disallowing the reforms lapses.

    Together, the Liberals and the Greens have the power to revoke the changes in the upper house of the Victorian parliament. That would be a disaster for housing affordability in Victoria.

    The Victorian parliament shouldn’t stand in the way of young families who want to buy a townhouse in the suburb they grew up in, or seniors downsizing to an apartment in their local neighbourhood.

    These reforms are about allowing more homes, and creating a better, healthier, and more vibrant Melbourne.

    Grattan Institute began with contributions to its endowment of $15 million from each of the federal and Victorian governments, $4 million from BHP Billiton, and $1 million from NAB. In order to safeguard its independence, Grattan Institute’s board controls this endowment. The funds are invested and contribute to funding Grattan Institute’s activities. Grattan Institute also receives funding from corporates, foundations, and individuals to support its general activities, as disclosed on its website.

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

    – ref. Victoria’s planning reforms could help solve the housing crisis. But they are under threat – https://theconversation.com/victorias-planning-reforms-could-help-solve-the-housing-crisis-but-they-are-under-threat-255967

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: National Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day observed in China

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

    National Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day observed in China

    Updated: May 12, 2025 09:16 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows volunteers from the University of South China demonstrating cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills to students in Hengyang City, central China’s Hunan Province. China observes the National Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day on May 12 each year. Various publicity, drill and training activities are carried out across China to improve public awareness of scientific disaster prevention and self-rescue. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Rescuers participate in a water rescue drill at Lvjin Lake in Huaibei City, east China’s Anhui Province, May 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows rescuers conducting a drill navigating speedboats to save individuals trapped on isolated islands in the river in Jindong District of Jinhua City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A firefighter introduces the use of escape ropes to students at a middle school in Pengshan District of Meishan City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Fuel depots fire under control, power gradually restored after Port Sudan drone attacks

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

    Smoke rises after a drone attack in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. [Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua]

    The fire at fuel depots in Port Sudan has been brought under control and electricity has been gradually restored in the eastern Red Sea State following drone attacks in early May, Sudan’s Civil Defense Forces and state-run Electricity Company said Sunday in separate statements.

    “The fire at the strategic storage facilities and other affected sites in Port Sudan has been completely extinguished,” Director of Sudan’s Civil Defense Forces Osman Al-Atta said in a statement, adding that firefighting was challenging due to large volumes of oil stored at the affected sites.

    “The return of electricity supply to cities in Red Sea State is underway gradually,” the Electricity Company said in a brief statement posted on its official Facebook page.

    Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since mid-April 2023, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with the exact toll unknown.

    Recently, the RSF has intensified drone attacks on military sites and vital facilities within SAF-controlled areas.

    On May 4, the RSF reportedly launched drone attacks on Port Sudan, capital of Red Sea State, for the first time, targeting a military airbase and civilian facilities. On Monday, drones attacked fuel depots in the city, completely destroying them, triggering huge explosions, and causing fires that burned for days.

    On Tuesday, Sudan’s Electricity Company announced that the Port Sudan power transformer station was targeted by drones in the morning, leading to a complete power outage. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Officials warn of worse health, humanitarian situation in Gaza

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

    Palestinians wait to receive free food from a food distribution center in Gaza City, on May 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Palestinian and UN officials warned Sunday that the health and humanitarian situation in Gaza will further deteriorate if Israel continues its blockade on the enclave.

    About 64 percent of medical supplies in Gaza have run out due to Israel’s continued closure of the crossings, health authorities in Gaza warned Sunday.

    “Indicators of a severe shortage of medicine are accelerating dangerously, with 43 percent of essential medicines at zero stock, a 6-percent increase compared to last month,” the authorities said in a press statement.

    Emergency departments, operating rooms, and intensive care units are operating on depleted stocks, with the number of critically ill patients on the rise, they said, adding that those with kidney failure, tumors, blood and heart diseases, and non-communicable diseases are the most affected.

    “The Israeli occupation is preventing children from leaving Gaza for treatment at a time when the Strip is suffering from a severe shortage of post-amputation assistive devices, such as prosthetic limbs, and a lack of a suitable environment for people with disabilities,” said Bassam Zaqout, director of medical relief in southern Gaza.

    Noting that there are more than 4,000 children on waiting lists for urgent surgeries, including many amputation cases, Zaqout said in a press statement that symptoms of famine have begun to appear among children, leading to serious health problems including immunodeficiency, intestinal diseases, and deadly dehydration.

    Meanwhile, Abdel Salam Sabah, director of the Eye Hospital in Gaza, said a serious shortage of consumables and medical equipment for eye surgeries will lead to a near-total collapse of surgical services, particularly for retinal diseases, diabetic retinopathy, and internal bleeding.

    The Eye Hospital is about to declare its inability to provide any surgical services unless relevant authorities and international organizations intervene immediately, the director said.

    Also on Sunday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East warned on social media platform X that “the longer this blockade continues, the more irreversible harm is being done to countless lives,” adding the agency has thousands of trucks waiting to enter Gaza.

    Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. It resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18, which, according to data released by health authorities in Gaza on Sunday, have so far killed 2,720 Palestinians and injured 7,513.

    The UN has repeatedly warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, reporting increasing signs of acute hunger, particularly among children. The situation is rapidly deteriorating as U.S.-based food relief organization World Central Kitchen announced Wednesday that it would halt cooking in Gaza due to the depletion of humanitarian supplies, forcing the closure of most community kitchens in the enclave after running out of stock.

    Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network in Gaza, warned Wednesday that the closure of community kitchens could exacerbate the hunger in Gaza.

    “The repercussions of the severe humanitarian disaster will be significant on the health and lives of citizens, especially children, women, the elderly, and the sick,” Shawa told Xinhua. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US notifies Israel Hamas plans to release Israeli-American hostage

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

    The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms that the United States has informed Israel that Hamas will release hostage Edan Alexander “without any compensation or conditions,” in what Washington described as a goodwill gesture expected to pave the way for broader negotiations.

    The release, possibly set for Tuesday, would be the first not tied to the exchange of Palestinian prisoners. Alexander, a U.S.-born soldier, was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen killed around 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages in a cross-border assault on southern Israel.

    “The United States conveyed to Israel that this move is expected to lead to negotiations based on the original Witkoff framework, which Israel has already accepted,” Netanyahu’s office said, referring to a U.S.-backed plan proposing a phased release of hostages in return for an extended ceasefire.

    The Witkoff plan, unveiled in March, envisions the release of roughly half of the surviving hostages in exchange for a 50-day truce and subsequent talks. It does not include Hamas’s demands for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza or the release of Palestinian prisoners.

    Israel said it was preparing for the possibility of additional releases but reaffirmed that negotiations would take place “under fire,” consistent with its wartime policy and ongoing military objectives in Gaza.

    Hamas confirmed on Sunday it had agreed to free Alexander after discussions with U.S. officials, describing the move as part of broader efforts toward a ceasefire, reopening border crossings, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

    The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed Alexander’s expected release but urged the government to reach a single deal to secure the return of all remaining captives.

    “There is only one moral and necessary agreement: the immediate return of all hostages and the end of the war,” the group said, warning that “no one can be left behind.”

    Israel estimates 59 hostages remain in Gaza, at least 21 of whom are believed to be alive. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 52,800 people have been killed in Israel’s military campaign since October 2023.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Barca edge closer to title with thrilling Clasico win

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

    FC Barcelona has one hand on this season’s La Liga trophy after winning a thrilling Clasico 4-3 against Real Madrid on Sunday.

    Although Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for Madrid, two goals from Raphinha and one each from Eric Garcia and Lamine Yamal gave Barca three points that put them seven clear of Madrid with just nine points left to play for.

    Real Madrid got off to a flying start when an error from Pau Cubarsi put Kylian Mbappe clear, only for the striker to be brought down by Wojciech Szczesny, with the Frenchman picking himself up to score from the spot after just five minutes.

    It was 2-0 in the 13th minute as Mbappe beat the offside trap and confidently smashed the ball past Szczesny to double the lead.

    Barca needed to get back into the game quickly, and Garcia did just that with a close-range header in the 19th minute after Ferran Torres had flicked on Dani Olmo’s corner.

    Yamal leveled with a stunning left-foot shot in the 32nd minute after Torres laid the ball back to him, and two minutes later it was 3-2 after a mix-up in the Madrid attack between Fede Valverde and Mbappe saw Pedri pick their pockets.

    The midfielder found Raphinha in space, and the Brazilian made no mistake with his left-footed effort.

    Real Madrid looked ragged and Barca was in complete control, although there was a nervous moment when the referee gave Madrid a penalty after Mbappe went down, only to correct his decision for a narrow offside.

    Raphinha headed another chance over the bar after a wonderful pass from Yamal, but made no mistake on the verge of halftime after he robbed Lucas Vazquez and exchanged passes with Torres.

    Barca controlled most of the second half, but had some nervous moments after Mbappe again beat the offside trap to pull a goal back, and the Frenchman could have scored a fourth, only to shoot tamely at Szczesny.

    Youngster Victor Munoz also fired wide for Madrid moments after coming on.

    Barca will be crowned La Liga champion with a win away to local rival Espanyol on Thursday night.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Newcastle go third with 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea

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

    The race to ensure the final Champions League places in the Premier League remains open after the 36th round of matches at the weekend.

    Arsenal could have confirmed a top-five finish with a win away to Liverpool, but drew 2-2, although Mikel Arteta will be content after seeing his side fight back from 2-0 down after conceding quick-fire goals to Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz midway through the first half.

    Gabriel Martinelli pulled a goal back for Arsenal in the 47th minute, and Mikel Merino leveled with 20 minutes left to play, before being sent off for two yellow cards 11 minutes from time.

    Four other teams still have top-five hopes with two games left to play.

    Newcastle United beat Chelsea 2-0 at St James’ Park to move up to third above Manchester City.

    The home side got off to a flying start when Sandro Tonali popped up at the far post to open the scoring after just two minutes.

    Things got better for Newcastle when Chelsea were reduced to 10 men after 35 minutes, as striker Nicolas Jackson was dismissed for using his elbow on Sven Botman.

    Chelsea reacted well with a player less, and Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez both forced Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope into good saves, but the game was decided in the last minute when Bruno Guimaraes’ shot took a deflection to loop into the net.

    Nottingham Forest had the chance to move above Chelsea, but was held to a surprise 2-2 draw at home to already-relegated Leicester City.

    Conor Cody put Leicester ahead before Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood looked to have given Forest three vital points, only for Facundo Buonanotte to stun the home side with nine minutes left to play.

    Europa League finalists Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur made it clear where their focus lies for the rest of the season as both slipped to home defeats.

    United lost 2-0 at home to West Ham United due to goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen, while goals from Eberechi Eze either side of half-time saw Crystal Palace win at Spurs.

    Saturday’s big surprise was a 0-0 draw between Southampton and Manchester City, which allowed Southampton to avoid the ignominy of going down with the joint worst points total in Premier League history, while complicating City’s qualification for next season’s Champions League as they slipped to fourth.

    Ollie Watkins kept Aston Villa’s Champions League hopes alive with the only goal in a 1-0 win away to Bournemouth, while Brentford and Brighton remain with a chance of playing in Europe next season after wins away to Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Karachi was in line of fire during Operation Sindoor: Indian Navy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    he Indian Navy on Sunday revealed its active role in Operation Sindoor, emphasizing that Karachi and other key Pakistani military assets were in the line of fire during India’s coordinated military response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

    Speaking at a joint briefing with senior commanders from the Army and Air Force, Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, Director General of Naval Operations, said that the Navy’s deployment in the Arabian Sea during the operation effectively forced the Pakistan Navy to remain confined to its harbours or operate only near its coastline.

    He said that the Indian Navy was fully prepared within 96 hours of the April 22 attack to execute strikes on Pakistan’s military infrastructure. He added that naval forces were “ready to target locations at sea and on land, including Karachi Port,” but were awaiting government orders.

    Pramod added the Navy rapidly mobilised warships, submarines, and aircraft into full combat readiness following the Pahalgam attack.

    The deployment, he said, reinforced India’s commitment to national security and its ability to respond decisively to emerging threats. Multiple weapon drills were conducted in the Arabian Sea to validate combat preparedness and enhance strike precision. Pakistan’s naval forces, meanwhile, were restricted to defensive positions near the coast and were under close surveillance.

    “The Indian response throughout the operation was measured and calibrated, with all branches of the military operating in sync to ensure an effective counter-strike,” he added.

    Pramod noted that the Navy’s maritime superiority, along with the coordinated efforts of the Army and Air Force, played a key role in compelling Pakistan to seek a ceasefire. Despite the cessation of hostilities, the Navy remains vigilant and ready to act against any future threats from Pakistan or its proxies.

    Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations, reiterated that Pakistan had been warned against any further violations, which would be met with a strong and immediate response.

    Air Marshal A.K. Bharti detailed the precision airstrikes that targeted Pakistani military installations, underlining India’s commitment to avoiding civilian casualties while delivering a strategic response.

    IANS

  • El Clasico: Mbappe’s hat-trick in vain as Barcelona run riot in 5-3 victory

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    eal Madrid suffered yet another defeat to their fierce rivals FC Barcelona, falling 3-5 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in what was their fourth El Clasico loss of the season. A hat-trick by Kylian Mbappe proved insufficient, as the Catalans firmly claimed bragging rights on Sunday.

    Goals from Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal, and a brace by Raphinha secured a thrilling comeback win for the hosts, who had trailed by two goals within the opening 15 minutes due to an early blitz by Mbappe.

    With this victory, Barcelona moved seven points clear of Real Madrid in the La Liga standings and now need only one win from their three remaining games to clinch their 28th league title.

    Mbappe looked ready for the occasion from the start. He earned a penalty in the 5th minute after drawing a foul from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, which he converted with ease. Just nine minutes later, he doubled Madrid’s advantage. An assist from Vinicius Jr set up the Frenchman’s 38th goal of the season—surpassing Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano’s record of 37 goals in a debut season for Real Madrid in 1992/93.

    However, the visitors were soon given a rude awakening. In the 19th minute, Ferran Torres flicked a corner toward Eric Garcia, who headed it into the net.

    The floodgates opened as Barcelona chased the deficit with relentless aggression. Lamine Yamal continued his stellar season with a driven low shot that left Courtois with little chance in goal.

    Just two minutes later, Raphinha opened his account for the night. The Brazilian winger was beautifully played in by midfielder Pedri and made no mistake in converting. Raphinha added his second just before the half-time whistle, giving Barcelona a commanding lead.

    Madrid failed to recover from the deficit and ended their 2024–25 campaign winless against their arch-rivals, having previously lost 0-4 at the Bernabéu in the league, 2-5 in the Spanish Super Cup Final in Riyadh, and 2-3 in the Copa del Rey Final at La Cartuja.

    IANS

  • Jaishankar speaks to Egyptian FM, reaffirms ‘zero tolerance’ for terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    xternal Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar received a call from Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday, during which the two leaders discussed recent developments amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

    Jaishankar underlined the importance of “zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.” The conversation also covered opportunities for economic cooperation between India and Egypt.

    “Received a call from FM Badr Abdelatty of Egypt. Apprised him of recent developments and emphasized the importance of zero tolerance for terrorism in all forms and manifestations. Discussed economic cooperation prospects between India and Egypt. Look forward to welcoming him in India,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.

    Meanwhile, hours after Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement between the two nations, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the breach was a serious setback to the understanding reached, and India takes “very serious note of these violations.”

    Misri added that India’s Armed Forces have been instructed to respond firmly to any future violations, whether along the International Border or the Line of Control (LoC).

    Following the violation, Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s unwavering stance on terrorism. “India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” he said in a post on X.

    ANI

  • Pakistan proposed ceasefire, violated it within hours: Indian Army

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    irector General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajeev Ghai on Sunday revealed that it was Pakistan’s DGMO who proposed a ceasefire between the two sides—an understanding that was violated by Pakistan within hours of taking effect.

    Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, Ghai said the proposal to halt hostilities was made during a direct hotline conversation initiated by Pakistan on May 10.

    “My communication with the Pak DGMO was conducted at 15:35 hours yesterday (Saturday) and resulted in the cessation of cross-border firing and air intrusions by either side with effect from 17:00 hours, 10th of May, after he proposed that we cease hostilities,” Ghai said

    The ceasefire was aimed at de-escalating tensions along the Line of Control and the international border following the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 tourists. The understanding was reached purely through bilateral means and without preconditions, reflecting India’s commitment to restoring calm after Indian forces destroyed major terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

    Lt Gen Ghai further added, “We also decided to speak again on the 12th of May at 12:00 hours to discuss the modalities that would ensure the longevity of this understanding.”

    However, he added that the violation of the truce by Pakistan just hours later came as no surprise.

    “Expectedly, it took only a couple of hours for the Pakistan Army to violate these arrangements through cross-border and Line of Control firing, followed by drone intrusions during the night and early hours of today,” said Lt Gen Ghai.

    India responded strongly to the provocations and lodged a formal protest with Pakistan through the hotline channel.

    “We have, earlier today, sent another hotline message to my counterpart highlighting these violations of the understanding between the DGMOs on the 10th of May, and our firm and clear intent to respond fiercely if these are repeated tonight, subsequently, or later,” he said.

    Ghai also confirmed that the Chief of Army Staff had granted full operational authority to the Army Commander to initiate counteraction in the event of any violation by Pakistan.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI USA: TOMORROW: Governor Newsom to make statewide funding announcement to address California’s mental health and homelessness crisis

    Source: US State of California Governor

    May 11, 2025

    SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom will host a virtual press conference with California Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson, Director of the California Department of Health Care Services Michelle Baass, and mental health leaders to make an announcement regarding his administration’s continued transformation of behavioral health services supporting California’s seriously ill and homeless populations.

    WHEN: Monday, May 12 at approximately 1 p.m.

    LIVESTREAM: Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    **NOTE: Credentialed media interested in asking a question during the virtual press conference must RSVP by clicking here no later than 11 a.m., May 12. A link to the event will be provided upon confirmation.

    Recent news

    May 9, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025 as “Older Californians Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to nearly nine million older residents who…

    May 9, 2025

    News What you need to know: Ahead of peak wildfire season, California has launched “Ask CAL FIRE,” an AI-powered chatbot on CAL FIRE’s website offering wildfire resources and emergency information in 70 languages. SACRAMENTO — As California marks Wildfire Preparedness…

    May 9, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has been appointed co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance – a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors working to achieve a net-zero carbon pollution future in America by advancing state-led, high-impact climate action….

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: A tribute to New Zealand’s mums |

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    This Mother’s Day we pay tribute to New Zealand mums ensuring the survival of our native species. Here’s some of our favourite photos…

    Today mums, we salute you!

    A mother and newly born sea lion pup. Photo: Gareth Hopkins.
    Hector’s dolphin mother and calf, Banks Peninsula.
    Whio mum and ducklings at Katipo Creek. Photo: Richard Rossiter
    Feeding time for a takahē chick at Burwood. Photo: Sabine Bernert
    The Royal Cam northern royal albatross chick and parent at Taiaroa Head, Otago.

    Feeding time from mum for this Australasian gannet chick. Photo: © Janice McKenna

    Kākāpō nest on Whenua Hou. Photo: Jake Osborne

    To all the mums, grandmothers, mother figures and caregivers out there, Happy Mothers Day, Whakamihia Te Rā o Te Māmā.

    Share this:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Xizang

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Xinhua | 12.05. 2025

    Keywords: earthquake magnitude,occurred,xizan,west china,center,morning,reported,networks,area,monday

    LHASA, May 12 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted Lhaza County in Shigatse City, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region at 5:11 a.m. Monday, the China Earthquake Networks Center said. -0-

    Source: Xinhua

    Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Xizang Magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Xizang

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hits Xizang /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    LHASA, May 12 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted Lhaza County in Shigatse City, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region at 5:11 a.m. Monday, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said.

    According to CENC, the epicenter of the tremors was located at 28.91 degrees north latitude and 87.54 degrees east longitude. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 10 km.

    Strong tremors were felt in Lhadze County, waking up some local residents.

    Local authorities quickly began work to respond to the earthquake, sending fire and rescue teams to its epicenter.

    Information on the situation related to the collapse of buildings and human casualties is being clarified. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –