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MIL-OSI: Microchip Technology Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Net sales of $1.164 billion, down 6.2% sequentially and down 48.4% from the year ago quarter. The midpoint of our guidance provided on August 1, 2024 was net sales of $1.150 billion.
Revenue, gross profit and non-GAAP gross profit were positively impacted by a $13.3 million legal settlement. This settlement also positively impacted GAAP and non-GAAP EPS by $0.02 per diluted share.
On a GAAP basis: gross profit of 57.4%; operating income of $146.6 million and 12.6% of net sales; net income of $78.4 million; and EPS of $0.14 per diluted share. Our guidance provided on August 1, 2024 was for GAAP EPS of $0.10 to $0.14 per diluted share.
On a Non-GAAP basis: gross profit of 59.5%; operating income of $340.8 million and 29.3% of net sales; net income of $250.2 million; and EPS of $0.46 per diluted share. Our guidance provided on August 1, 2024 was for Non-GAAP EPS of $0.40 to $0.46 per diluted share.
Returned approximately $261.0 million to stockholders in the September quarter through dividends of $243.7 million and the repurchase of $17.3 million, or 0.2 million shares of our common stock, at an average price of $76.86 per share under our previously announced $4.0 billion stock buyback program. Cumulatively repurchased $2.444 billion, or 31.4 million shares, over the last twelve quarters.
Record quarterly dividend declared today for the December quarter of 45.5 cents per share, an increase of 3.6% from the year ago quarter.

CHANDLER, Ariz., Nov. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (NASDAQ: MCHP) – Microchip Technology Incorporated, a leading provider of smart, connected, and secure embedded control solutions, today reported results for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as summarized in the table below.

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2024⁽¹⁾
Net sales	$1,163.8
	GAAP	%	Non-GAAP⁽²⁾	%
Gross profit	$668.5	57.4%	$692.9	59.5%
Operating income	$146.6	12.6%	$340.8	29.3%
Other expense	$(55.1)		$(53.3)
Income tax provision	$13.1		$37.3
Net income	$78.4	6.7%	$250.2	21.5%
Net income per diluted share	$0.14		$0.46

⁽¹⁾ In millions, except per share amounts and percentages of net sales.
⁽²⁾ See the “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release.

Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 were $1.164 billion, down 48.4% from net sales of $2.254 billion in the prior year’s second fiscal quarter.

GAAP net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $78.4 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, down from GAAP net income of $666.6 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, in the prior year’s second fiscal quarter. For the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, GAAP net income was adversely impacted by amortization of acquired intangible assets associated with our previous acquisitions.

Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 was $250.2 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, down from non-GAAP net income of $889.3 million, or $1.62 per diluted share, in the prior year’s second fiscal quarter. For the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, our non-GAAP results exclude the effect of share-based compensation, cybersecurity incident expenses, other manufacturing adjustments, expenses related to our acquisition activities (including intangible asset amortization, severance, and other restructuring costs, and legal and other general and administrative expenses associated with acquisitions including legal fees and expenses for litigation and investigations related to our Microsemi acquisition), professional services associated with certain legal matters, and losses on the settlement of debt. For the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, our non-GAAP income tax expense is presented based on projected cash taxes for the applicable fiscal year, excluding transition tax payments under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A reconciliation of our non-GAAP and GAAP results is included in this press release.

Microchip announced today that its Board of Directors declared a record quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of 45.5 cents per share, up 3.6% from the year ago quarter. The quarterly dividend is payable on December 6, 2024 to stockholders of record on November 22, 2024.

“Our September quarter results were consistent with our guidance, as we continued to navigate through an inventory correction that’s occurring in the midst of macro weakness for many manufacturing businesses, accentuated by heightened weakness in our European business which is concentrated with Industrial and Automotive customers,” said Ganesh Moorthy, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The ‘green shoots’ we saw in recent quarters have progressed unevenly with essentially flat sequential bookings, normalized cancellation rates and much higher expedite requests, which we believe are all positive signs for a potential bottom formation despite limited visibility.”

Eric Bjornholt, Microchip’s Chief Financial Officer, said, “Our September quarter results reflect continued customer destocking efforts and sluggish end-market demand. We are maintaining strong cost discipline and balance sheet management while taking actions to ensure operational readiness for the anticipated market recovery.”

Rich Simoncic, Microchip’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “Our Total System Solutions approach is driving strong execution and seeing growing adoption in AI-accelerated servers in the data center markets. Our PCIe switches, SSD controllers, CXL solutions, and associated power and timing products are key to continuing to strengthen our data center portfolio. With our expanding capabilities, we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities in this growth market.”

Mr. Moorthy concluded, “For the December quarter, we expect net sales between $1.025 billion and $1.095 billion. While substantial inventory destocking has occurred, we continue to face macro uncertainties in what is historically our seasonally weakest quarter. Our design-in momentum continues to remain strong, driven by our Total System Solutions strategy and key market megatrends.”

Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Outlook:

The following statements are based on current expectations. These statements are forward-looking, and actual results may differ materially.

	Microchip Consolidated Guidance
Net Sales	$1.025 to $1.095 billion
	GAAP	Non-GAAP Adjustments⁽¹⁾	Non-GAAP⁽¹⁾
Gross Profit	56.2% to 58.1%	$8.4 to $9.4 million	57.0% to 59.0%
Operating Expenses⁽²⁾	49.1% to 51.4%	$170.0 to $174.0 million	33.2% to 34.8%
Operating Income	4.8% to 9.1%	$178.4 to $183.4 million	22.2% to 25.8%
Other Expense, net	$69.3 to $69.7 million	($0.2) to $0.2 million	$69.5 million
Income Tax Provision	$1.0 to $13.0 million⁽³⁾	$12.6 to $21.1 million	$22.1 to $25.6 million⁽⁴⁾
Net Income (loss)	($21.1) to $16.5 million	$157.0 to $170.9 million	$135.9 to $187.4 million
Diluted Common Shares Outstanding	Approximately 537.3 to 543.0 million shares		Approximately 543.0 million shares
Earnings (Loss) per Diluted Share	($0.04) to $0.03	$0.29 to $0.32	$0.25 to $0.35

⁽¹⁾	See the “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release for information regarding our non-GAAP guidance.
⁽²⁾	We are not able to estimate the amount of certain Special Charges and Other, net that may be incurred during the quarter ending December 31, 2024. Therefore, our estimate of GAAP operating expenses excludes certain amounts that may be recognized as Special Charges and Other, net in the quarter ending December 31, 2024.
⁽³⁾	The forecast for GAAP tax expense excludes any unexpected tax events that may occur during the quarter, as these amounts cannot be forecasted.
⁽⁴⁾	Represents the expected cash tax rate for fiscal 2025, excluding any transition tax payments associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Capital expenditures for the quarter ending December 31, 2024 are expected to be about $20 million. Capital expenditures for all of fiscal 2025 are expected to be about $150 million. We are selectively adding capital equipment to maintain, grow and operate our internal manufacturing capabilities to support the expected growth of our business.

Under the GAAP revenue recognition standard, we are required to recognize revenue when control of the product changes from us to a customer or distributor. We focus our sales and marketing efforts on creating demand for our products in the end markets we serve and not on moving inventory into our distribution network. We also manage our manufacturing and supply chain operations, including our distributor relationships, towards the goal of having our products available at the time and location the end customer desires.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Our non-GAAP adjustments, where applicable, include the effect of share-based compensation, cybersecurity incident expenses, other manufacturing adjustments, expenses related to our acquisition activities (including intangible asset amortization, severance, and other restructuring costs, and legal and other general and administrative expenses associated with acquisitions including legal fees and expenses for litigation and investigations related to our Microsemi acquisition), professional services associated with certain legal matters, and losses on the settlement of debt. For the second quarters of fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2024, our non-GAAP income tax expense is presented based on projected cash taxes for the fiscal year, excluding transition tax payments under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

We are required to estimate the cost of certain forms of share-based compensation, including employee stock options, restricted stock units, and our employee stock purchase plan, and to record a commensurate expense in our income statement. Share-based compensation expense is a non-cash expense that varies in amount from period to period and is affected by the price of our stock at the date of grant. The price of our stock is affected by market forces that are difficult to predict and are not within the control of management. Our other non-GAAP adjustments are either non-cash expenses, unusual or infrequent items, or other expenses related to transactions. Management excludes all of these items from its internal operating forecasts and models.

We are using non-GAAP operating expenses in dollars, including non-GAAP research and development expenses and non-GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP other expense, net, and non-GAAP income tax rate, which exclude the items noted above, as applicable, to permit additional analysis of our performance.

Management believes these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors because they enhance the understanding of our historical financial performance and comparability between periods. Many of our investors have requested that we disclose this non-GAAP information because they believe it is useful in understanding our performance as it excludes non-cash and other charges that many investors feel may obscure our underlying operating results. Management uses non-GAAP measures to manage and assess the profitability of our business and for compensation purposes. We also use our non-GAAP results when developing and monitoring our budgets and spending. Our determination of these non-GAAP measures might not be the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies, and it should not be construed as a substitute for amounts determined in accordance with GAAP. There are limitations associated with using these non-GAAP measures, including that they exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating our performance. Management compensates for this by presenting information on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis for investors and providing reconciliations of the GAAP and non-GAAP results.

Generally, gross profit fluctuates over time, driven primarily by the mix of products sold and licensing revenue; variances in manufacturing yields; fixed cost absorption; wafer fab loading levels; costs of wafers from foundries; inventory reserves; pricing pressures in our non-proprietary product lines; and competitive and economic conditions. Operating expenses fluctuate over time, primarily due to net sales and profit levels.

Diluted Common Shares Outstanding can vary for, among other things, the trading price of our common stock, the exercise of options or vesting of restricted stock units, the potential for incremental dilutive shares from our convertible debentures (additional information regarding our share count is available in the investor relations section of our website under the heading “Supplemental Financial Information”), and repurchases or issuances of shares of our common stock. The diluted common shares outstanding presented in the guidance table above assumes an average Microchip stock price in the December 2024 quarter between $75 and $85 per share (however, we make no prediction as to what our actual share price will be for such period or any other period and we cannot estimate what our stock option exercise activity will be during the quarter).

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(in millions, except per share amounts; unaudited)

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Net sales	$	1,163.8		$	2,254.3		$	2,405.1		$	4,542.9
Cost of sales		495.3			726.9			999.7			1,457.1
Gross profit		668.5			1,527.4			1,405.4			3,085.8

Research and development		240.7			292.6			482.4			591.1
Selling, general and administrative		157.0			196.6			307.5			400.2
Amortization of acquired intangible assets		122.7			151.4			245.7			302.9
Special charges and other, net		1.5			1.8			4.1			3.5
Operating expenses		521.9			642.4			1,039.7			1,297.7

Operating income		146.6			885.0			365.7			1,788.1

Other expense, net		(55.1	)		(51.4	)		(112.4	)		(106.2	)
Income before income taxes		91.5			833.6			253.3			1,681.9
Income tax provision		13.1			167.0			45.6			348.9
Net income	$	78.4		$	666.6		$	207.7		$	1,333.0

Basic net income per common share	$	0.15		$	1.23		$	0.39		$	2.45
Diluted net income per common share	$	0.14		$	1.21		$	0.38		$	2.42

Basic common shares outstanding		536.7			543.1			536.7			544.1
Diluted common shares outstanding		542.0			549.2			542.4			550.3

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in millions; unaudited)

ASSETS
	September 30,		March 31,
	2024		2024
Cash and short-term investments	$	286.1	$	319.7
Accounts receivable, net		1,044.3		1,143.7
Inventories		1,339.6		1,316.0
Other current assets		235.5		233.6
Total current assets		2,905.5		3,013.0

Property, plant and equipment, net		1,171.2		1,194.6
Other assets		11,545.6		11,665.6
Total assets	$	15,622.3	$	15,873.2

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	1,339.4	$	1,520.0
Current portion of long-term debt		1,946.3		999.4
Total current liabilities		3,285.7		2,519.4

Long-term debt		4,476.6		5,000.4
Long-term income tax payable		590.4		649.2
Long-term deferred tax liability		29.8		28.8
Other long-term liabilities		963.9		1,017.6

Stockholders’ equity		6,275.9		6,657.8
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	15,622.3	$	15,873.2

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(in millions, except per share amounts and percentages; unaudited)

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP GROSS PROFIT TO NON-GAAP GROSS PROFIT
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Gross profit, as reported	$	668.5		$	1,527.4		$	1,405.4		$	3,085.8
Share-based compensation expense		4.3			7.4			10.9			14.2
Cybersecurity incident expenses		20.1			—			20.1			—
Non-GAAP gross profit	$	692.9		$	1,534.8		$	1,436.4		$	3,100.0
GAAP gross profit percentage		57.4	%		67.8	%		58.4	%		67.9	%
Non-GAAP gross profit percentage		59.5	%		68.1	%		59.7	%		68.2	%

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Research and development expenses, as reported	$	240.7		$	292.6		$	482.4		$	591.1
Share-based compensation expense		(26.9	)		(23.7	)		(50.2	)		(46.6	)
Other adjustments		—			(0.2	)		—			(0.4	)
Non-GAAP research and development expenses	$	213.8		$	268.7		$	432.2		$	544.1
GAAP research and development expenses as a percentage of net sales		20.7	%		13.0	%		20.1	%		13.0	%
Non-GAAP research and development expenses as a percentage of net sales		18.4	%		11.9	%		18.0	%		12.0	%

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Selling, general and administrative expenses, as reported	$	157.0		$	196.6		$	307.5		$	400.2
Share-based compensation expense		(15.1	)		(14.3	)		(29.2	)		(29.1	)
Cybersecurity incident expenses		(1.3	)		—			(1.3	)		—
Other adjustments		(2.1	)		(0.6	)		(3.4	)		0.5
Professional services associated with certain legal matters		(0.2	)		(0.3	)		(0.7	)		(0.8	)
Non-GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses	$	138.3		$	181.4		$	272.9		$	370.8
GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales		13.5	%		8.7	%		12.8	%		8.8	%
Non-GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales		11.9	%		8.0	%		11.3	%		8.2	%

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Operating expenses, as reported	$	521.9		$	642.4		$	1,039.7		$	1,297.7
Share-based compensation expense		(42.0	)		(38.0	)		(79.4	)		(75.7	)
Cybersecurity incident expenses		(1.3	)		—			(1.3	)		—
Other adjustments		(2.1	)		(0.8	)		(3.4	)		0.1
Professional services associated with certain legal matters		(0.2	)		(0.3	)		(0.7	)		(0.8	)
Amortization of acquired intangible assets⁽¹⁾		(122.7	)		(151.4	)		(245.7	)		(302.9	)
Special charges and other, net		(1.5	)		(1.8	)		(4.1	)		(3.5	)
Non-GAAP operating expenses	$	352.1		$	450.1		$	705.1		$	914.9
GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of net sales		44.8	%		28.5	%		43.2	%		28.6	%
Non-GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of net sales		30.3	%		20.0	%		29.3	%		20.1	%

⁽¹⁾ Amortization of acquired intangible assets consists of core and developed technology and customer-related acquired intangible assets in connection with business combinations. Such charges are excluded for purposes of calculating certain non-GAAP measures.

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP OPERATING INCOME TO NON-GAAP OPERATING INCOME
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Operating income, as reported	$	146.6		$	885.0		$	365.7		$	1,788.1
Share-based compensation expense		46.3			45.4			90.3			89.9
Cybersecurity incident expenses		21.4			—			21.4			—
Other adjustments		2.1			0.8			3.4			(0.1	)
Professional services associated with certain legal matters		0.2			0.3			0.7			0.8
Amortization of acquired intangible assets⁽¹⁾		122.7			151.4			245.7			302.9
Special charges and other, net		1.5			1.8			4.1			3.5
Non-GAAP operating income	$	340.8		$	1,084.7		$	731.3		$	2,185.1
GAAP operating income as a percentage of net sales		12.6	%		39.3	%		15.2	%		39.4	%
Non-GAAP operating income as a percentage of net sales		29.3	%		48.1	%		30.4	%		48.1	%

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP OTHER EXPENSE, NET TO NON-GAAP OTHER EXPENSE, NET
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Other expense, net, as reported	$	(55.1	)	$	(51.4	)	$	(112.4	)	$	(106.2	)
Loss on settlement of debt		—			3.1			—			12.2
Loss on available-for-sale investments		1.8			—			1.8			—
Non-GAAP other expense, net	$	(53.3	)	$	(48.3	)	$	(110.6	)	$	(94.0	)
GAAP other expense, net, as a percentage of net sales	(4.7) %			(2.3) %			(4.7) %			(2.3) %
Non-GAAP other expense, net, as a percentage of net sales	(4.6) %			(2.1) %			(4.6) %			(2.1) %

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP INCOME TAX PROVISION TO NON-GAAP INCOME TAX PROVISION
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Income tax provision as reported	$	13.1		$	167.0		$	45.6		$	348.9
Income tax rate, as reported		14.3	%		20.0	%		18.0	%		20.7	%
Other non-GAAP tax adjustment		24.2			(19.9	)		35.0			(52.4	)
Non-GAAP income tax provision	$	37.3		$	147.1		$	80.6		$	296.5
Non-GAAP income tax rate		13.0	%		14.2	%		13.0	%		14.2	%

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME AND GAAP DILUTED NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE TO NON-GAAP NET INCOME AND NON-GAAP DILUTED NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
Net income, as reported	$	78.4		$	666.6		$	207.7		$	1,333.0
Share-based compensation expense		46.3			45.4			90.3			89.9
Cybersecurity incident expenses		21.4			—			21.4			—
Other adjustments		2.1			0.8			3.4			(0.1	)
Professional services associated with certain legal matters		0.2			0.3			0.7			0.8
Amortization of acquired intangible assets		122.7			151.4			245.7			302.9
Special charges and other, net		1.5			1.8			4.1			3.5
Loss on settlement of debt		—			3.1			—			12.2
Loss on available-for-sale investments		1.8			—			1.8			—
Other non-GAAP tax adjustment		(24.2	)		19.9			(35.0	)		52.4
Non-GAAP net income	$	250.2		$	889.3		$	540.1		$	1,794.6
GAAP net income as a percentage of net sales		6.7	%		29.6	%		8.6	%		29.3	%
Non-GAAP net income as a percentage of net sales		21.5	%		39.4	%		22.5	%		39.5	%
Diluted net income per common share, as reported	$	0.14		$	1.21		$	0.38		$	2.42
Non-GAAP diluted net income per common share	$	0.46		$	1.62		$	1.00		$	3.26
Diluted common shares outstanding, as reported		542.0			549.2			542.4			550.3
Diluted common shares outstanding non-GAAP		542.0			549.2			542.4			550.3

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS TO FREE CASH FLOW
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
	2024			2023			2024			2023
GAAP cash flow from operations, as reported	$	43.6		$	616.2		$	420.7		$	1,609.4
Capital expenditures		(20.8	)		(74.4	)		(93.7	)		(185.5	)
Free cash flow	$	22.8		$	541.8		$	327.0		$	1,423.9
GAAP cash flow from operations as a percentage of net sales		3.7	%		27.3	%		17.5	%		35.4	%
Free cash flow as a percentage of net sales		2.0	%		24.0	%		13.6	%		31.3	%

Microchip will host a conference call today, November 5, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss this release. This call will be simulcast over the Internet at www.microchip.com. The webcast will be available for replay until November 26, 2024.

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available at approximately 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on November 5, 2024 and will remain available until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on November 26, 2024. Interested parties may listen to the replay by dialing 201-612-7415/877-660-6853 and entering access code 13747161.

Cautionary Statement:

The statements in this release relating to continuing to navigate through an inventory correction, macro weakness for many manufacturing businesses, heightened weakness in our European business, that the green shoots we saw in recent quarters have progressed unevenly, our belief that these are all positive signs for a potential bottom formation despite limited visibility, that we are maintaining strong cost discipline and balance sheet management while taking actions to ensure operational readiness for the anticipated market recovery, that our Total System Solutions approach is driving strong execution and seeing growing adoption in AI-accelerated servers in the data center markets, that our PCIe switches, SSD controllers, CXL solutions, and associated power and timing products are key to continuing to strengthen our data center portfolio, that we believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities in this growth market, that for the December quarter we expect net sales between $1.025 billion and $1.095 billion, that we continue to face macro uncertainties in what is historically our seasonally weakest quarter, that our design-in momentum continues to remain strong, driven by our Total System Solutions strategy and key market megatrends, our third quarter fiscal 2025 guidance for net sales and GAAP and non-GAAP gross profit, operating expenses, operating income, other expense, net, income tax provision, net income, diluted common shares outstanding, earnings per diluted share, capital expenditures for the December 2024 quarter and for all of fiscal 2025, selectively adding capital equipment to maintain, grow and operate our internal manufacturing capabilities to support the expected growth of our business, our belief that non-GAAP measures are useful to investors and our assumed average stock price in the December 2024 quarter are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to: any continued uncertainty, fluctuations or weakness in the U.S. and world economies (including China and Europe) due to changes in interest rates, high inflation or the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (including lock-downs in China), actions taken or which may be taken by the Biden administration or the U.S. Congress, monetary policy, political, geopolitical, trade or other issues in the U.S. or internationally (including the military conflicts in Ukraine-Russia and the Middle East and the outcome of the U.S. elections in November), further changes in demand or market acceptance of our products and the products of our customers and our ability to respond to any increases or decreases in market demand or customer requests to reschedule or cancel orders; the mix of inventory we hold, our ability to satisfy any short-term orders from our inventory and our ability to effectively manage our inventory levels; the impact that the CHIPS Act will have on increasing manufacturing capacity in our industry by providing incentives for us, our competitors and foundries to build new wafer manufacturing facilities or expand existing facilities; the amount and timing of any incentives we may receive under the CHIPS Act, the impact of current and future changes in U.S. corporate tax laws (including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017), foreign currency effects on our business; changes in utilization of our manufacturing capacity and our ability to effectively manage our production levels to meet any increases or decreases in market demand or any customer requests to reschedule or cancel orders; the impact of inflation on our business; competitive developments including pricing pressures; the level of orders that are received and can be shipped in a quarter; our ability to realize the expected benefits of our long-term supply assurance program; changes or fluctuations in customer order patterns and seasonality; our ability to effectively manage our supply of wafers from third party wafer foundries to meet any decreases or increases in our needs and the cost of such wafers, our ability to obtain additional capacity from our suppliers to increase production to meet any future increases in market demand; our ability to successfully integrate the operations and employees, retain key employees and customers and otherwise realize the expected synergies and benefits of our acquisitions; the impact of any future significant acquisitions or strategic transactions we may make; the costs and outcome of any current or future litigation or other matters involving our acquisitions (including the acquired business, intellectual property, customers, or other issues); the costs and outcome of any current or future tax audit or investigation regarding our business or our acquired businesses; fluctuations in our stock price and trading volume which could impact the number of shares we acquire under our share repurchase program and the timing of such repurchases; disruptions in our business or the businesses of our customers or suppliers due to natural disasters (including any floods in Thailand), terrorist activity, armed conflict, war, worldwide oil prices and supply, public health concerns or disruptions in the transportation system; and general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally.

For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please refer to Microchip’s filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. You can obtain copies of Forms 10-K and 10-Q and other relevant documents for free at Microchip’s website (www.microchip.com) or the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) or from commercial document retrieval services.

Stockholders of Microchip are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. Microchip does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after this November 5, 2024 press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

About Microchip:

Microchip Technology Incorporated is a leading provider of smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs, which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. Our solutions serve approximately 116,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip name and logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:
Sajid Daudi — Head of Investor Relations….. (480) 792-7385

The MIL Network –

January 26, 2025

MIL-OSI: iRhythm Technologies to Participate in the Wolfe Research 2024 Healthcare Conference

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRTC), a leading digital health care company focused on creating trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease, announced today that the company will be participating in the upcoming Wolfe Research 2024 Healthcare Conference.

iRhythm’s management is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, November 19, at 9:50 am Eastern Time. Interested parties may access a live and archived webcast of the presentation on the “Events & Presentations” section of the company’s investor website at investors.irhythmtech.com.

About iRhythm Technologies, Inc.
iRhythm is a leading digital health care company that creates trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease. Combining wearable biosensors and cloud-based data analytics with powerful proprietary algorithms, iRhythm distills data from millions of heartbeats into clinically actionable information. Through a relentless focus on patient care, iRhythm’s vision is to deliver better data, better insights, and better health for all.

Investor Contact
Stephanie Zhadkevich
investors@irhythmtech.com

Media Contact
Kassandra Perry
irhythm@highwirepr.com

The MIL Network –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Domestic Violence Offender Indicted For Illegally Trying To Buy Firearms

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

Jacksonville, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Vance Perry (67, Palatka) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm on two separate occasions. If convicted, Perry faces up to five years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, on February 18, 2023, Perry completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. On March 25, 2024, Perry tried to buy a different gun from another federally licensed firearms dealer. Perry indicated on the required paperwork that he was not convicted of a domestic violence offense. The indictment alleges that this was a false statement, and that Perry was previously convicted of domestic battery on December 28, 2021.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

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

MIL Security OSI –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Base Woodbourne resolution with Kurahaupō Iwi

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government and three Kurahaupō Iwi have signed a $25.2million agreement to resolve the post-Treaty settlement issue of contaminated land at RNZAF Base Woodbourne.

Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Trust, Rangitāne o Wairau Settlement Trust, and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia each received $8.4 million after contaminated soil at Base Woodbourne near Blenheim prevented the three Iwi from purchasing a substantial part of the site as originally intended in their Treaty settlement redress.

The NZDF as the landholding agency and Te Arawhiti, as the responsible agency to ensure the durability of Treaty settlements, worked together to resolve the issue and an agreement was signed with Iwi on 14 October 2024.

Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka praised the three Iwi for their ongoing commitment to resolving the issue.

“I know this mahi has presented everyone involved with challenges, and I particularly want to acknowledge and thank the Iwi for their resolution to move forward.

“Upholding Treaty settlement commitments is a priority for this government. In this case, the negotiated settlement redress could not be delivered as intended and it was incumbent on us to work with Iwi to find a mutually agreeable solution.”

Contamination from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contained in firefighting foams, was found in the soil at Woodbourne as part of the Crown’s ‘due diligence’ phase of engagement between the Iwi and the New Zealand Defence Force in 2019.

PFAS can accumulate in the human body and does not break down in the environment, posing potential health and environmental risks.

“The $25.2m confirmed in Budget 2024 compensates the Iwi for being unable to purchase the remainder of the site due to the extent of the contamination, which includes the operational land and housing block as intended,” Mr Potaka says.

“National has a proud history of delivering settlements with Iwi and we will continue to build on that legacy.”

Kua ea te take e pā ana ki te whenua o Base Woodbourne ki te taha o ngā iwi o Kurahaupō

Kua hainatia e te Kāwanatanga me ngā iwi e toru o te waka o Kurahaupō tētahi whakaaetanga e $25.2 miriona te nui o te pūtea, hei whakaea i tētahi take e pā ana ki ngā matū kino kei te whenua o RNZAF Base Woodbourne.

E $8.4 miriona te nui o te pūtea i whakawhiwhia ki ia iwi, arā, ki a Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Trust, ki a Rangitāne o Wairau Settlement Trust, ki Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia hoki i te mea kāore rātou i āhei ki te hoko i tētahi wāhi nui o ngā whenua i tāpuia mā ngā iwi e toru nei i raro i tō rātou whakataunga Tiriti nā te whakakinotanga o te one ki Base Woodbourne e pātata ana ki Te Waiharakeke.

I mahitahi Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa i raro i tōna tūranga hei kaipupuri whenua me Te Arawhiti hei kaiwhakapūmau o ngā whakataunga Tiriti ki te whakatutuki i te kaupapa, ā, ka hainatia tētahi whakaaetanga ki te taha o ngā iwi i te 14 o Oketopa i te tau 2024.

Ka mihia ngā iwi e toru e te Minita o Te Arawhiti, e Tama Potaka i tō rātou manawanui ki te whakatutuki i tēnei take.

“Kei te mōhio au ki ngā uauatanga i tau atu ki runga i ngā tāngata katoa i whai wāhi mai ki tēnei mahi, ā, kei te mihi atu au ki ngā iwi i tō rātou whakaae ki te ahu whakamua.

“Ko te whakamanatanga o ngā whakataunga Tiriti tētahi o ngā whāinga matua a tēnei kāwanatanga. Kāore mātou i āhei ki te hoatu i te paremata i whiriwhiringia i roto i te whakataunga, nō reira nō mātou anō te haepapa ki te mahi ngātahi ki ngā iwi ki te kimi i tētahi whakautu e pai ana ki ngā rōpū e rua.”

I kitea ngā paitini nā ngā matū kino o te pāhuka patu ahi, e kīia ana ko te PFAS, ki roto i te one ki Woodbourne i te Karauna e takatū ana mō ngā whakawhitinga kōrero i waenga i ngā iwi me Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa i te tau 2019.

Ka noho tonu te PFAS ki roto i te tinana, ā, e kore hoki e popo i te au tūroa, nā reira he matū mōrearea rawa tēnei ki te tangata me te taiao.

“I tohua te $25.2m i te Tahua Pūtea o te tau 2024 hei utu paremata ki te iwi i te mea kāore rātou i āhei ki te hoko i te toenga o te whenua nā te nui o ngā matū kino ki reira, arā, e kapi katoa ana tērā i te whenua e whakamahia ana e Te Ope Kātua me tētahi huinga whare i tāpaea i mua,” te kī a Mr Potaka.

“E tū whakahīhī ana a Nāhinara i te whakatutukinga o te huhua o ngā whakataunga ki te taha o ngā iwi i roto i ngā tau, ā, ka haere tonu tērā mahi.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Dubuque Man Who Possessed Firearms While Being an Illegal User of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to Prison

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

A man who possessed five firearms while being an illegal drug user was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than one year in federal prison.

Jesse James Zeromski, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.

At the guilty plea, Zeromski admitted he unlawfully possessed five firearms, including a revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles, while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine.

Zeromski was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Zeromski was sentenced to twelve months’ and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Zeromski is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-CR-1008.

Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

MIL Security OSI –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: A Week of Rain Across Spain

Source: NASA

On October 29, 2024, a period of intense rainfall inundated Valencia province in eastern Spain. The extensive, deadly flooding destroyed infrastructure and spurred massive search and rescue efforts.
The downpours kept coming as a high-altitude, low-pressure weather system remained parked over the region. These systems, known as cut-off lows or locally by the Spanish acronym DANA, develop when cold fronts encounter warm, humid air masses and become isolated from the jet stream. In the days following the Valencia flash floods, rain continued to fall in Spain’s eastern coastal regions as well as its southwest, causing yet more flooding and disrupting transportation, classes, and other activities.
This map shows rainfall accumulation totals from October 29 through November 4, 2024. These data are remotely sensed estimates that come from IMERG (the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM), a product of the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) mission, and may differ from ground-based measurements. For instance, IMERG data are averaged across each pixel, meaning that rain-gauge measurements within a given pixel can be significantly higher or lower than the average.
Ground-based measurements by Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, indicated that rainfall totals exceeded 300 millimeters (12 inches) in some areas of Valencia province on October 29 alone. A few days later, on November 1, Huelva province in southwest Spain saw torrential rains; 134 millimeters (5 inches) fell in the city of Cartaya in a 12-hour period. AEMET also issued warnings and reported strong storms along the Mediterranean coast on November 2 and 3.
Next, the heavy rains migrated north, and 150 millimeters (6 inches) fell in Barcelona by noon on November 4. Barcelona’s airport cancelled and diverted flights on that day due to flooding, and train services and schools were also suspended.
Cut-off low-pressure weather systems are typical in this region in autumn because intrusions of cold air from the Arctic encounter remaining surface heat from the Mediterranean summer. Storm systems of the same type drenched Spain and Greece in September 2023.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using IMERG data from the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) at NASA/GSFC. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Parson Signs Executive Order 24-14 Activating State Emergency Operations Plan in Response to Flooding and Severe Weather

Source: US State of Missouri

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Parson signed Executive Order 24-14 activating the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan in response to flooding and severe weather. Parts of Missouri have already sustained flood and storm damage with additional impacts expected as river levels begin to crest and floodwaters recede.

“With several areas of Missouri already impacted by this week’s storms and heavy rainfall, we want to ensure state resources are available should further disruptions or damage occur,” Governor Parson said. “This action enables the state to be better prepared and ready to assist our communities with response and recovery. We urge Missourians to follow the direction of local authorities and emergency managers, use extra caution on the roads, and never drive into floodwaters.”

Executive Order 24-14 will expire on December 5, 2024, unless otherwise terminated or extended. To view Executive Order 24-14, click here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1.2 million to boost rural transport in the UK
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

Winning projects use the latest innovations to help meet the unique transport needs of people who live in rural areas.
eight projects awarded £150,000 each to better connect rural communities

winning projects include digital tools that support patients and staff to travel to NHS hospitals

funding will enhance travel for rural residents, while delivering greener transport technologies

People living in rural areas could benefit from smoother and more frequent transport, thanks to government funding announced today (6 November 2025).

Small businesses have won a share of £1.2 million as part of the Rural Transport Accelerator Fund, which supports the development of innovative concepts that will improve rural transport, in partnership with local authorities. The scheme aims to boost the wellbeing of communities, support rural jobs and kickstart local economies.

Winners include a digital tool to predict rural transport demand and deliver on-demand services, as well as a journey mapping tool to support health providers in delivering hospital transport for patients.

The 8 projects, which have won £150,000 each, are spread across the UK’s rural areas and will be trialled from Norfolk to Herefordshire and Suffolk to south east Scotland.

Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

People who live in rural areas have unique needs when it comes to transport and we’re always looking for ways to improve connections across the country.

Through our funding, these projects will shake up the way rural transport is delivered, using the latest innovations to help residents see their friends and family, do their weekly food shop or attend hospital appointments.

The winning projects include:

You.Smart.Thing – development of a digital tool to offer shared, demand responsive or community transport options for those without car access, trialled in Warwickshire

UrbanTide – mapping rural hospital patient journeys to identify barriers to accessing health services in rural areas and support health providers in enhancing rural transport services, trialled near Fife

Alchera Technologies – use of data insights to create a behavioural travel model to help local authorities with rural mobility decision making, trialled in Norfolk County Council

Civil Water Management – installation of new drainage systems using recycled car tyres to aid safer cycling along flood-prone sections of cycle routes, trialled in Milton Keynes County Council

This year’s scheme called for solutions to a number of challenges that rural areas face:

the importance of rural roads for everyday journeys

driving towards a sustainable future

enabling innovation in rural mobility

advancements in agricultural transportation

open challenge – building communities and enabling adoption of technology in rural areas

The grant is delivered in collaboration with the Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport and place leadership

Connected Places Catapult’s Chief Executive Officer, Erika Lewis, said:

I am delighted to welcome 8 exciting companies onto the Rural Transport Accelerator.

Their innovations and technologies promise to make a real impact for people living in rural areas, and I look forward to following their progress through the programme over the coming months.

Roads media enquiries

Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

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Published 6 November 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Praises Ousted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) expressed his appreciation for Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire him today over their differences on the conduct of the war and on domestic political issues, and made the following statement:

“I commend Yoav Gallant on his work as Defense Minister and his service to Israel at this important time. I have met with the now-former Defense Minister several times, including on my last trip to Israel in June. He was always well-versed on the issues and a credit to the government and his nation. I wish him well in his future pursuits.”

# # #

MIL OSI USA News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI: STOCKHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Investigates the Merger of Profire Energy, Inc. – PFIE
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Nov. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered money for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2018-2022 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating Profire Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PFIE), relating to a proposed merger with First CECO Environmental Corp. Under the terms of the agreement, a subsidiary of CECO will commence a tender offer to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Profire common stock at a price of $2.55 per share.

Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/profire-energy-inc-pfie/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:
1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?
About Monteverde & Associates PC

Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:
Juan Monteverde, Esq.
MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
New York, NY 10118
United States of America
jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2024 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

The MIL Network –
January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: HK release soars to top of national box office

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Cesium Fallout, a disaster film starring icons Andy Lau and Bai Yu, overtook Hollywood blockbuster Venom: The Last Dance to become the country’s new box-office champion on Monday.

As of Nov 4, the feature directed by Anthony Pun has grossed around 90 million yuan ($12.7 million) since its debut on Friday, according to the movie information live tracer, Beacon.

Set in Hong Kong, it follows two parallel storylines about teams of specialists and firefighters as they try to prevent a doomsday disaster following an accident that leads to the release of Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope.

During the film’s Beijing premiere last week, executive producer Bill Kong, revealed that his inspiration for the film stemmed from reports about the illegal transshipment of waste from other countries.

He consulted environmental experts, who disclosed that some foreign companies previously dumped electronic waste overseas to reduce recycling expenses, with a portion being directed to Hong Kong.

He emphasized the danger posed by electronic waste, highlighting the potential environmental harm if the substances they contain leached into the soil, contaminating water sources, and expressed the hope that the film would increase public awareness of the issue.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Australians are traumatised by Middle East horrors. They deserve the facts

Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

Many Australians are understandably traumatised by the past year in the Middle East. Every day, we see more unbearable scenes. The terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023: the worst loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and almost 100 hostages still held. And in Israel’s response: 42,000 Palestinians killed – including more than 13,000 children. About 2 million facing starvation.

While this conflict might be far away, it is close to many in Australia. Some have lost family – or have loved ones in danger. Communities connect with different sides in this conflict.

The Middle East’s contested history helps explain these divergent perspectives. Those who know the imperative of Israel for the Jewish people’s survival. Who feel October 7 as part of the long shadow of antisemitism; the abomination of the Holocaust and millennia of Jewish persecution. And those who know the dispossession of the Palestinian people; the failure of the international community to honour the 1947 promise made for a Palestinian state when Israel was established. Who feel that the loss of Muslim and Arab lives has been too easily dismissed.

These two experiences seem less reconciled than ever – and they are intensified in a debate often framed by incorrect information.

For example, people continue to demand Australia call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Yet, it’s nearly 11 months since Australia voted for a ceasefire with 152 other countries at the United Nations General Assembly. While some don’t hear our condemnation of Israel Defence Forces’ attacks on civilians or aid workers, others wrongly claim we enable Hamas by insisting Israel follow the rules of war.

As the conflict spread to Lebanon, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Australia was isolated by calling for a ceasefire there – when we did so with dozens of other countries. And despite that call, I am asked when Australia will stop bombing Lebanon. We never started.

These examples show what happens when certain politicians and media make false claims in bad faith – and when people shout over each other rather than listen to each other. I understand people want their government to make this war end. But this isn’t Vietnam or Iraq – Australia is not contributing to the war. Nor are we supplying weapons for it.

There is a big difference between Australia wanting to end this war and being able to do it on our own. Our only hope is in being active in the international community. As long as this war goes on, we will keep partnering to deliver aid, uphold international law and drive towards peace.

As well as our co-ordinated calls for ceasefire and the release of hostages, we act in concert with other donors to provide lifesaving aid. Australia has committed more than $90 million in humanitarian assistance to support civilians impacted by conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. We have also doubled our annual funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

I’m leading an influential group of countries to create a global Declaration on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. We are building a coalition for the safety of aid workers who provide the food, water and medicine that civilians need to survive.

Australia works with Canada, New Zealand and other supporters of international law, including by backing the independence of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. International law includes the UN Charter that allows countries to defend themselves – and the Geneva Conventions that protect civilians during wars. Palestinian civilians cannot pay the price of defeating Hamas.

Australia has joined a large number of countries in condemning and sanctioning Hamas, Hizballah and others for their terrorism. Just as we have partnered in sanctioning Israeli extremist settlers for their violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

We work with others because going it alone gets us nowhere in the Middle East. But you wouldn’t think that listening to somepoliticians. Peter Dutton demands I do what no other country has done: say the rules don’t apply to Israel. And the Greens demand I apply sanctions to Israel that no other country has applied. When Australia applies sanctions, we co-ordinate with partners. That’s what makes them effective.

These two ends of the political spectrum repeat absolutist positions we see overseas in order to recklessly reproduce the conflict in our diverse society and exploit distressed Australians. All-or-nothing demands do nothing to end the Middle East cycle of violence.

That can only happen when the promise of two states is fulfilled. Frustratingly, this seems a distant prospect. It is bitterly opposed by Hamas, which seeks to end the Jewish state. It is also not supported by many in the Netanyahu government. But Israel’s own long-term security requires it, and Palestinians have a right to self-determination.

Australia was one of 143 countries to vote in support of Palestinian aspirations for full membership of the UN – where we have also called for a timeline for the international declaration of Palestinian statehood.

On our own, we have little leverage to move the dial in the Middle East. That’s why our approach centres on building international support with other countries that want to end this war.

Originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Wednesday, 6 November 2024.

MIL OSI News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: 35th ADA Brigade supports Keen Sword 25 exercise in Japan

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

SOUTH KOREA –

Soldiers from Eighth Army’s 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade participated in Keen Sword 25, which concluded Nov. 1.

Keen Sword is a joint bilateral exercise designed to increase readiness and interoperability between the U.S. and Japan.

Seventeen service members from E Battery, 6-52 Air Defense Artillery Battalion participated in a joint field training exercise with the 17th Field Artillery Brigade (Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington) in Japan. Two Avengers and one Sentinel Radar were part of a support package that provided base defense assets during the exercise.

Additional training was accomplished when the units were able to network with the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade based in Japan via a tactical datalink network. Mobility training was also accomplished as Echo Battery utilized port operations to ship and receive their equipment. The team deployed to one of Japan’s islands for the 10-day exercise.

Keen Sword 25 participants included military units from the U.S. and Japan, Australia and Canada, which all took part in integrated training across the island nation. They honed their skills to maintain warfighting readiness. Bilateral and multilateral events undertaken as part of Keen Sword 25 included joint live fire training, medical mass casualty exercises, installation security forces training and simulated airfield damage repair, among others.

The 35th ADA Brigade is one of Eighth Army’s six major subordinate commands based at Osan Air Base, South Korea.

MIL Security OSI –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Israel’s Netanyahu fires defense minister amid conflict

Source: China State Council Information Office

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that he has dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing their differences over security matters.

In a termination letter made public by Netanyahu’s office, the prime minister informed Gallant that his term would end within 48 hours.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said, “Over the past few months, the trust between the Defense Minister and me has eroded. Significant differences emerged regarding the management of the (military) campaign, accompanied by statements and actions that contradicted government and cabinet decisions.”

Netanyahu added that this crisis “does not allow for the proper continuation of managing the (military) campaign.”

Israel Katz, Netanyahu’s close associate and Israel’s current foreign minister, will replace Gallant. The decision was met with widespread criticism due to Katz’s limited senior military experience.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, released a statement saying the move is part of Netanyahu’s efforts to thwart a potential hostage deal. The group noted that Gallant had supported a hostage-for-ceasefire exchange, emphasizing that Israel has met its objectives in Gaza, while Netanyahu continues to call for the conflict’s continuation until “total victory” over Hamas.

The current dispute between Netanyahu and Gallant centers on the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men into the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Traditionally, this group has been exempt from mandatory military service, a status quo staunchly defended by ultra-Orthodox parties, which are key partners of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. In contrast, Gallant advocates for their enlistment, citing a pressing need for additional manpower amid ongoing conflicts. Earlier on Tuesday, Gallant authorized the drafting of 7,000 ultra-Orthodox men into the IDF.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: UN continues to deliver humanitarian aid to Lebanon

Source: China State Council Information Office

This photo taken on Nov. 2, 2024 shows the damage caused by Israeli airstrikes in Mashghara, Lebanon. [Photo/Xinhua]

UN agencies and partners continue to deliver humanitarian aid to the crisis-impacted people in Lebanon amid escalating hostilities, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said at a daily briefing on Tuesday.

On Monday, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) delivered medical supplies and fuel for generators to the Burj Shimali Palestinian refugee camp in Tyre in southern Lebanon. A humanitarian convoy also delivered medical supplies, medicine and hygiene kits to a healthcare center in Labweh, located in the Baalbeck-El Hermel area.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has already reached over 2 million vulnerable people in the country through its emergency assistance as well as regularly programs. WFP is also providing food assistance to Lebanese and Syrian people fleeing across the border into Syria.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is partnering with local authorities to facilitate the gradual return to learning for some 387,000 Lebanese children, including those staying in shelters and communities affected by the war.

The initiative is part of an emergency response plan to support the opening and operation of 326 public schools not used as shelters to ensure school-age children in Lebanon have access to education.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that the humanitarian situation in the country has reached levels that exceeded the severity of the 2006 war. The healthcare sector continues to face relentless attacks, with facilities, staff and resources increasingly caught in the crossfire, and further straining Lebanon’s already fragile health infrastructure.

“Our humanitarian colleagues fear that, amid escalating hostilities and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, the demand for food, medicine, shelter and other essential supplies is growing higher,” the UN spokesperson said, calling for urgent funding needed to sustain the response.

However, the humanitarian appeal launched in the beginning of October for 426 million U.S. dollars is currently just under 19 percent funded. That means only 80 million dollars has been received so far, he added, urging countries not only to pledge but turn pledges to cash as early as possible.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Efficiencies found to deliver two further NIWE recovery projects

Source: New Zealand Government

Upgrades to Nesbitt’s Dip on State Highway 2 (SH2) and Rototahe on State Highway 35 (SH35) will go ahead as a result of improved efficiencies in the Government’s North Island Weather Event recovery programme, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods. As part of Budget 2024, our Government committed $609.25 million for state highway recovery to restore roads back to their previous condition, and in July I announced that $250 million of this would be allocated to the East Coast.

“Work to remedy flooding at SH2 Nesbitt’s Dip and SH35 Rototahe was listed but would only advance into delivery if efficiencies in the programme were found. I’m pleased that with a strong focus on achieving value for money and improving efficiency across the recovery programme, these two important projects can now proceed within existing funding.

“These two sections of highway that connect communities on the East Coast have been closed many times due to flooding, most recently at the end of June. These closures create safety risks for emergency services responding to emergencies, and cause significant disruption for communities, businesses, and the flow of freight and goods.

“To enable people and freight to get where they want to go quickly and safely, crews will raise the height of SH2 Nesbitt’s Dip and SH35 Rototahe above the flood level and improve drainage at both sites. By addressing the root causes of flooding and road closures, NZTA will provide a safer and more reliable route for the region.

“Our Government is committed to ensuring our state highway corridors impacted by the NIWE are returned to the standard that Kiwis need and expect. I look forward to these works progressing and being completed.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Global companies debut cutting-edge technologies

Source: China State Council Information Office

This photo taken on Nov. 4, 2024 shows the automobile exhibition area of the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in Shanghai, east China. [Photo/Xinhua]

With the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) in full swing in Shanghai, global companies are unveiling their latest technological innovations, capitalizing on the opportunities arising from China’s commitment to further opening up both its market and manufacturing industry.

GE Healthcare, a regular exhibitor at the CIIE, has brought an unprecedented lineup to Shanghai this year. The U.S. medical technology company is showcasing multiple products either making their global or Chinese debut.

Eyeing China’s growing demand for advanced medical technology, GE Healthcare is exhibiting its largest collection of new products ever at this year’s expo, where it has been participating since 2018, said Zhong Luyin, the company’s China communications executive.

“Our goal extends beyond mere participation in the expo. More importantly, we look forward to engaging in China,” Zhong said.

A stage for all

At the ongoing CIIE, over 400 new products, technologies and services from around the world are being showcased, spanning sectors such as artificial intelligence, new materials, autonomous systems and energy transition technologies.

During a meeting on Monday with select exhibitors and buyers attending the expo, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said that China is able to sustain steady economic recovery, improve the quality and capacity of its market, and provide more extensive growth space for global businesses in terms of trade, investment and innovation. He added that the Chinese market is still one of the best choices for companies worldwide.

Just days ago, China removed all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector, with the country’s new edition of its national negative list for foreign investment having taken effect on Nov. 1. This significant move marked the latest effort of the world’s second-largest economy to open its doors even wider.

“Benefiting from the ‘spillover effect’ of the expo, many of our showcased products are now in use across Chinese hospitals,” said Lu Yi, MRI marketing manager of Siemens Healthineers. At this year’s CIIE, the German medical technology company is unveiling the MAGNETOM Terra.X, its latest generation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment — the first time this new equipment is being displayed in Asia.

Lu revealed that Siemens Healthineers is advancing its localization strategy for cutting-edge product manufacturing. Notably, the MAGNETOM Terra.X is slated for future production at the company’s base in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province.

Apart from traditional technological sectors, the ongoing expo showcases an array of futuristic exhibits that seem straight out of the world of science fiction, including tires designed for lunar exploration vehicles, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and innovative motor-powered shoes.

French tire maker Michelin, which is attending the expo for a fourth year, is exhibiting a futuristic prototype wheel for lunar exploration vehicles, among other products including car tires containing 71 percent sustainable materials and a new generation aircraft tire.

Serge Godefroid, research and development director of Michelin China, said Michelin has been innovating for the future of mobility and is even thinking about mobility beyond the Earth for future lunar or Mars exploration projects.

Michelin is already extensively testing tires in very rough conditions and with exposure to the range of temperatures that exist on the moon, Godefroid said. “You don’t have somebody to help you inflate a tire on the moon, so you need to find a wheel that can sustain very difficult conditions.”

Rising innovation landscape

A number of eVTOL aircraft are proving eye-catching at this year’s CIIE. Vertaxi, an eVTOL startup which is attending the expo jointly with Ampaire, a global leader in hybrid electric aircraft systems, has brought three autonomous eVTOL drones to the 2024 expo.

Yue Tingting, vice president of Vertaxi, said the company’s smaller eVTOL aircraft have been well received by the market and are being widely used for police, emergency and fire-fighting patrols, public and oil infrastructure inspections, and island logistics.

Yue admitted that it will take longer for the company’s eVTOL aircraft to obtain the airworthiness certification needed for passenger transport. She, however, is very bullish about China’s low-altitude economy and even envisions a future where people will be able to board eVTOL aircraft for daily commuting, much like taking a taxi or bus.

Shift Robotics, attending the expo for the first time, is exhibiting its new generation of motor-powered shoes, called Moonwalkers Aero, that allow people to walk at speeds of up to 11 km per hour.

Moonwalkers deliver smooth power when people who wear them speed up, while they offer very little assistance if the person wearing them walks very slowly. These motor-powered shoes can be used in virtually any environment, even on the subway, in a lift or on stairs, and people can move around in these Moonwalkers without taking off their normal shoes, according to Zhang Xunjie, CEO of Shift Robotics.

From industry giants to rising startups, the dedication shown to China by global tech companies is well-timed, as the country’s prominence in the global innovation landscape continues to increase. According to the Global Innovation Index 2024 released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China has moved up one spot to 11th place in the latest rankings of the world’s most innovative economies — becoming one of the fastest risers over the past decade.

“China’s growth pattern has shifted from quantity-oriented to quality-oriented,” said Tetsuro Homma, executive vice president of Panasonic Holdings Corporation. “To keep pace with this change, we are setting up more research and development teams in China to quickly adapt to the evolving Chinese market.”

Over the past four years, this Japanese manufacturing company has steadily expanded its investment in China. Home to over 60 Panasonic subsidiaries, China now accounts for nearly a quarter of the company’s business worldwide. “We are innovating for China, and we aspire to innovate in China for the whole world,” Homma said.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China releases ecosystem restoration guides to boost coastal disaster resilience

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

Four handbooks on ecosystem restoration for coastal hazard mitigation, focusing on salt marshes, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and sandy coasts, were released in both Chinese and English, officials said on Tuesday. The guides aim to provide a “Chinese solution” to global coastal ecological challenges by showcasing examples of disaster reduction and restoration practices.

Jointly issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the International Union for Conservation of Nature at the 2024 China-Island Countries Ocean Cooperation Forum, the handbooks compile research findings and restoration strategies for coastal ecosystems, including insights from both domestic and international sources, according to Li Lin, director of the marine warning and monitoring department of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The handbooks explain each step in the technical process, including baseline ecological surveys, diagnostics, restoration goals and measures, as well as monitoring, effectiveness evaluation, and adaptive management, Li said.

Since 2020, the Ministry of Natural Resources, along with the Ministry of Water Resources, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and other agencies, has promoted coastal protection and restoration projects. These efforts have strengthened ecosystems’ capacity to mitigate marine disasters like typhoons and storm surges. The release of the handbooks is intended to guide these practices, Li added.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: CFA at the Langwarrin Disability Expo

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

CFA Langwarrin brigade members Jason and Donna with Tim Marchinton from CFA

Three CFA Langwarrin Fire Brigade members, and CFA Community Engagement Adviser Tim Marchinton, attended the Langwarrin Disability Expo on Saturday 26 October 2024.

Local community members were curious about why CFA was at the Expo and asked what CFA has to offer. This was easy to answer. People with a disability are at much greater risk in a house fire.

Between 2003 and 2017, national house fire fatality data highlighted that 62 per cent of people who died had a disability. This alarming statistic has been a call to action for CFA. That is why CFA was at the Expo to talk to people about fire safety and fire prevention.

“Once they knew the reason, they all thanked us for being there,” said Jason Walker, Langwarrin brigade’s community safety coordinator.

“The main topic of conversation was home fire safety, particularly smoke alarms and home fire escape. People with a disability need to consider if they can hear and respond to a smoke alarm and whether they can escape their home within three minutes.”

Donna, another Langwarrin brigade member, thought the Expo was worthwhile because it was an opportunity to speak to people who may need extra support with fire safety.

“My son is deaf so he can’t hear a standard smoke alarm. He needs a specialised smoke alarm. I know how important it is to spread the message out to the community,” Donna said.

Bill, who has been a CFA brigade member for 62 years thought it was very worthwhile to attend the Expo and talk to community about fire safety.

There were also conversations about the Fire Danger Rating system and the importance of downloading the VicEmergency App. Some community members didn’t realise CFA is a volunteer organisation and this led to conversations about joining CFA – though this wasn’t the main reason for going to the Expo.

“Overall, it was a really good day. Lots of people were there and there were so many members of the community we don’t know. We will plan to go again next year to talk to people who have a disability about fire safety,” Jason said.

Submitted by Angela Cook

MIL OSI News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: New brigade focused on community safety
Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

CFA’s South East Region recently created a Headquarters Fire Brigade with the sole purpose to deliver community safety programs and initiatives.

The new brigade is known as the South East Region Community Safety Headquarters Brigade. Late last year, 37 people from both existing brigades and the wider community attended a public meeting and unanimously voted in favour of forming a new fire brigade.

“Fire prevention and community preparedness are some of the most important tools we have to reduce the number and impact of emergencies faced by our communities,” South East Region Deputy Chief Officer Trevor Owen said.

“While our operational response activities are at the core of what CFA does, this vision is achieved not only through responding to fires but importantly through working with our communities.

“We were really keen to do some fresh thinking about how our services could be delivered and what future brigade structures might look like.

“Many volunteers have expressed a strong desire to be involved in community engagement and fire safety activities, and not just in their own brigade area,” Trevor explained. “The new brigade will deliver engagement activities across the region.

“The brigade also offers an opportunity for volunteers who no longer wish to respond to emergencies to stay actively engaged in CFA and make a meaningful contribution to community.

“We’re not trying to take away from what our brigades are already doing, but complement the existing delivery and fill the gaps where brigades are unable to do so.”

The brigade supports the work of the region’s 223 community-based fire brigades to educate and engage a highly diverse range of communities spread from Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs to remote Far East Gippsland. Members will work with local brigades to deliver preparedness activities and programs to the community including:
- bushfire and residential education sessions
- attending community events, including shows, markets and field days either with a stand/booth or with one of the mobile education units
- installing smoke alarms in homes of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities
- delivering important messaging during emergency events including planned burning
- providing surge capacity to brigades engaging with holiday makers in high bushfire risk areas
- supporting incident management activities during complex and longer duration campaign fires when additional community liaison and engagement capability is needed.
One of the brigade’s first activities was attending the Hawthorn versus Richmond AFL Emergency Services match at the MCG in August (pictured above with members of District 8 HQ brigade). Members of the brigade set up mobile education units outside the MCG to provide fire safety information to the football fans.

The brigade is supported by the region’s Community Safety team.

“The team will work closely with members of the new brigade to deliver the right training and mentoring to deliver engagement activities across the region,” South East’s Manager Community Safety Jude Kennedy said.

The brigade met in August to elect its inaugural brigade management team, with Paul Webster (pictured second from left) elected as the captain.

The brigade is seeking new members with a passion for engaging with the community. If you are an existing member of a brigade, you can join this new brigade while remaining a member of your local brigade. Members outside South East Region can also join, and people who live outside a CFA area, including those from Metropolitan Melbourne, are also welcome.

People who are not currently CFA members are also welcome to join.

For more information or if you are interested in joining, email the captain at sercommunitysafety.capt@members.cfa.vic.gov.au.

Submitted by Andy Oldroyd

MIL OSI News –
January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Better Than Yesterday.” Stories of Moscow Creative Universities Graduates

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Just recently, these young artists were still studying: they went to rehearsals, wrote notes, took exams and began to seriously join the world of art. Today, they are members of the most famous creative groups in the country, they go out on the big stage – and the audience is gradually learning their names. The stories of an opera soloist, a jazz musician, an actor and an actress – in the material mos.ru.

Janis Shklyaev: “The main thing is not to lose the fire”

Graduate of the Moscow State Institute of Music named after A.G. Schnittke

— I liked singing since childhood, and that’s when I started going on stage. After school, I entered the Krasnoyarsk College of Arts named after P.I. Ivanov-Radkevich, where my passion for singing only grew stronger. Then, however, I had to take a break in my career: I was called up for military service. But music accompanied me there too: I joined the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A.V. Alexandrov.

Then I returned to Krasnoyarsk, got a job in the Siberian Male Choir, completed one course in the vocal department of the Siberian State Institute of Arts named after D.A. Hvorostovsky. Then I decided to move to the capital – I entered the Moscow State Institute of Music named after A.G. Schnittke. I was enrolled in the class of People’s Artist of Russia Mikhail Kizin.

After graduating from the institute, I joined the Chelyabinsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M.I. Glinka. I love all my roles, but especially the part of Lensky from “Eugene Onegin”. From a technical point of view, it poses challenges that are interesting to solve, and from an emotional point of view, it helps to reveal my temperament. By the way, I now see my hero completely differently, I find something in him that I had not noticed before. At school, when I read the novel, the image of Lensky was more lyrical for me, but now I feel his tragedy, his inner impulses. And in the future, I would like to perform the part of Maurice from the opera “Adriana Lecouvreur” by composer Francesco Cilea.

The most pleasant thing about my work is to see the audience in the hall, to give them emotions, to awaken feelings, to let them experience the work together with me. I would advise those who have decided to study this profession not to lose the fire and desire to do it. Of course, the support of loved ones is also important. I was lucky: on my way I met understanding, knowledgeable teachers who believed in my strength, helped me overcome difficulties. I am especially grateful to all of them – as well as to my parents.

Konstantin Boytsov: “We felt like rock stars”

Graduate of the Jazz Academy

— Like many children, I went to music school — more for general development. My parents couldn’t even imagine that I would seriously want to become a musician. Once I even decided to quit music school, but then I accidentally saw a concert of jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis on the Internet. I watched it over and over again, and each time I was captivated by these melodies. Then I fell in love with the music of Canadian bassist Alain Caron and saxophonist Michael Brecker. Jazz became real magic for me — I realized that I wanted to learn to improvise myself. When I told my parents about this, they supported me: my mother helped me find a teacher to prepare me for admission and bought me my first saxophone. Then I realized that talent is not the main component of success, work, self-development and discipline are much more important.

And at the age of 16, I got to a concert by Igor Butman. Igor Mikhailovich became a source of inspiration for me – it seems, forever. And I am very happy that now I work in the Moscow Jazz Orchestra under his direction. Of course, it is not always easy: sometimes tours, flights and relocations are difficult, but it pays off with a huge number of stories, emotions that we get while traveling. And also with a range of feelings when we see the enthusiastic faces of people in the audience. This is the most valuable and precious thing in our work.

I remember with particular warmth a concert in St. Petersburg, in which I participated when I was still a first-year student at the Academy. We were invited to an orchestral battle, there were almost 40 people on one stage. We played swing from the 1920s and 1930s, and the audience danced right in front of us. The atmosphere was incredible, we felt like real rock stars from the jazz world.

Nelly Khaperskaya: “Acting is like a sport”

Oleg Tabakov’s Theatre School

— I come from a circus family, I spent my entire childhood in the arena and behind the scenes of the circus. Therefore, there were never any doubts about choosing a creative profession. Of course, everyone thought that I would follow in my parents’ footsteps, but completely by chance I passed the casting at Konstantin Khabensky’s studio, and there I realized that I wanted to connect my life with Oleg Tabakov’s School, and then with his theater. True, at first my dad did not want me to move away from the circus. But it seems to me that the circus and theater coexist quite closely: the skills I acquired in childhood were very useful in the acting profession.

As a result, I entered the Oleg Tabakov School. I consider Vladimir Mashkov my main teacher, he is my creative dad. He gave me life in this profession, opened the doors to it. For me, Vladimir Lvovich is an example, I consider him a genius. This applies not only to the profession: he will always help those who need it. You want to follow him further and conquer new heights.

I realized that acting is like a sport. You always have to work, constantly improve your knowledge and skills, constantly be in training and rehearsals. Every day you have to become better than you were yesterday. It’s not easy. For the guys who are just thinking about whether to connect their lives with the acting profession or not, I would say this: if you are passionate about it, then difficulties are pleasant.

Now I work at the Oleg Tabakov Theatre. Among the productions I participate in is “Matrosskaya Tishina”, where I play Tanya. This is a legendary performance that Oleg Pavlovich himself staged. I go on stage with my teachers. Of course, they help a lot with advice, as always. In fact, we have been on the professional stage since our first years – this is a feature of the Oleg Tabakov Theatre School. Even when I was a student, I got roles in “Passions for Bumbarash”, “Fight”, “My Fair Lady”, “The Elder Son”, “Atom of the Sun”, “Heirs” and, actually, in “Matrosskaya Tishina”. Not all of these performances are in the repertoire now, but I sincerely love each role.

Shvartsy from Tulchin. The story of Oleg Tabakov’s most anticipated performance

Egor Khokhlov: “I understood where my place is”

Oleg Tabakov’s Theatre School

— When I entered the Oleg Tabakov Theatre School, I doubted my decision to become an actor, I didn’t fully understand who I wanted to be. But I saw the teachers, looked at the other guys — and suddenly I understood where my place was. A happy accident, it can happen to anyone. The main thing is to be attentive to yourself and feel it.

At first, I was worried about how my family would react to my decision: no one is connected with the theater. Besides, it is a profession with zero guarantees, you can fail in it at all – there are hundreds, thousands of such examples. But my parents were understanding, very supportive, believed in me. I am also grateful to my teachers – first of all, Vladimir Mashkov, Alena Lapteva, Vitaly Egorov. Over the five years of study, they did a lot for us. They said that you need to study and improve constantly. To evoke emotions in the viewer, to push them to certain thoughts – all this requires colossal efforts.

I started performing on stage at the Oleg Tabakov Theatre when I was still a student. This idea belongs to Oleg Pavlovich: he believed that students should see how professional artists work – this is the only way to pass on the profession to the young. My senior colleagues and teachers helped with advice and continue to do so. Now I am involved in several performances, including “Bumbarash Passion”, “Deadly Act” and “The Hunt to Live”.

I think the most important piece of advice I can give to aspiring actors is this: Don’t be afraid to jump into every situation that comes your way. The stage is hard, and you have to be prepared for anything. Take every chance you get, try to imitate the behavior of different people. And one more thing that’s very important: Don’t be shy.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/146210073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Five pre-revolutionary houses with glazed tile cladding will be restored

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Five buildings built before the 1917 revolution will undergo major repairs as part of the city program in 2024. Their special feature is facades covered with glazed tiles. Specialists from the Capital Repair Fund (CRF) have developed individual work plans and selected modern domestic materials and advanced technologies. The Moscow City Services Complex told about how historical buildings are being restored.

Eclecticism in Yakovoapostolsky Lane

This year, the six-story building at 15 Yakovoapostolsky Lane has already been renovated. It was built in 1913 according to an individual project in the eclectic style. The courtyard facades are made of brick, and on those facing the street, the four lower floors are faced with unpainted white ceramic tiles. There is a crowning cornice along the perimeter of the building.

Here, the roof and facade were renewed, which together with the glazed tiles were cleaned and washed. In some places, if necessary, local repair of the brickwork was carried out. Then, open surfaces in places of dampness were treated with an antifungal compound, and the glazed tiles were made hydrophobic. The building was plastered, the upper floors and the courtyard facade were painted white by the craftsmen.

The windows in the entrances were replaced with modern double-glazed windows. The specialists also replaced the ebbs and repaired the slopes, and hung a new drainage system on the building.

In addition, the roof of the house was completely repaired: the old roof covering was dismantled, the rafter system and individual parts of the wall plate were updated, and the sheathing was replaced. All wooden structures were treated with a fire-retardant composition, and new roofing sheet covering was laid. The attic spaces were insulated with mineral wool slabs to stabilize the temperature and humidity conditions.

Glazed tiles with decorative inserts on Plyushchikha

This year, the former apartment building of V.V. Kiselev at 26/2 Plyushchikha Street will also be restored. The five-story building was built before 1917 according to the design of the architect A.F. Meissner in the Art Nouveau style. The main façade has protruding parts — rectangular bay windows. The retail area of the first floor is accentuated by wide panoramic windows and is plastered. At the level of the second to fifth floors, the street facades are finished with glazed tiles with decorative inserts. The building is completed with a crowning cornice.

The house is undergoing a renovation of its glazed tile facade. They started with clearing open surfaces and repairing the plaster layer of the first floor and bay windows. Then they applied antifungal protection. The specialists will have to carefully repair the architectural elements. The wall segments covered with glazed tiles are water-repellent. Then the facades will be painted in the color “peach cream”. In addition, the craftsmen will replace the drainpipes and repair the entrances to the building.

Dark turquoise majolica on Sushchevskaya street

House 9 on Sushchevskaya Street has been completely renovated. It was built in 1910 according to the project of the architect F. F. Voskresensky in the Art Nouveau style. The building is four-story in the main volume, and its two-story part adjoins from the yard. Two vertical bay windows are symmetrically placed on the main facade. Dark turquoise majolica was used in the decoration. The building is completed by a crowning cornice.

The specialists put the facade in order and replaced a number of internal engineering systems. The large volume of restoration work was divided into stages for the convenience of residents. First, the facades were cleared of old paint and accumulated dirt. Then the craftsmen knocked off the peeling plaster and restored the damaged areas. Wet areas were treated with antifungal and antiseptic compounds, all decorative elements were cleaned and restored. The walls were painted in the color “gray fog”.

The base of the house and the entrances to the building were also plastered, and the drainpipes were replaced.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/146235073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Summerland Way back in business

Source: New South Wales Government 2

Headline: Summerland Way back in business

Published: 6 November 2024

Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

Motorists using Summerland Way will have a safer drive after the completion of two projects between Casino and Woodenbong, funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The first project at Stoney Gulley, 9km south of Kyogle, has taken just over three months for workers from Transport for NSW to complete.

The team excavated unsuitable material and placed rock backfill to repair the slope above a 100m section of road, to stabilise the cuttings and provide a low-maintenance solution.

The Burnetts Slip project, 52km north along Summerland Way at Dairy Flat, started in May and required similar repairs along a 126m section of road.

Over the past three months the project team has excavated and installed rock backfill, while also carrying out extensive drainage repairs.

Work was carried out under single lane, alternating traffic flow arrangements which have now been removed.

Transport for NSW thanks the community and all road users for their patience while this essential flood recovery work was completed.

Quotes attributed to Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister:

“Summerland Way is an important route for the Northern Rivers, connecting communities from Kyogle to Casino.

“We’re helping build the road back as efficiently as possible, and to a more resilient standard.

“Work is now complete which is excellent news for everyone traveling in the region.”

Quotes attributed to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

“Summerland Way is an important secondary transport route that links a number of major towns on the Northern Rivers.

“This disaster recovery effort will take pressure off the major highways and is the transport lifeline for commuters and primary producers.

“This work will make a big difference to daily lives of people on the Northern Rivers.”

Quotes attributed to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

“Repairing the Summerland Way is great news for the 700 vehicles who use this route every day, of which about 20 per cent are heavy vehicles.

“This is an important route for locals, visitors and freight operators connecting southern Queensland with northern NSW and I’m sure all who travel along this section of road will be happy to see it’s back in business.”

Quotes attributed to NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin:

“The Summerland Way, an alternate route to the Pacific Highway, is a key rural road for daily commuters, freight carriers and tourists, and these two projects will help make driving conditions safer for all.

“I congratulate Transport for NSW work gangs on making such great strides to stabilise flood-damaged slopes above both sections of road, reopening the Summerland Way to traffic in both directions.

“I have a long history with the Summerland Way, securing $50 million from then NSW Minister for Transport Carl Scully to do a substantial upgrade.”

MIL OSI News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Elon Musk’s flood of US election tweets may look chaotic. My data reveals an alarming strategy

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Graham, Associate Professor in Digital Media, Queensland University of Technology

As voting booths in the United States close and the results of the presidential election trickle in, tech billionaire Elon Musk has been posting a flurry of tweets on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). So too has Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

At first glance these tweets might appear chaotic and random. But if you take a closer look, you start to see an alarming strategy behind them – one that’s worth paying very close attention to in order to understand the inner workings of the campaign to return Trump to the White House.

The strategy has two immediate aims. First, to overwhelm the information space and thereby manage attention. Second, to fuel the conspiracy theory that there is a coordinated campaign among Democrats, the media and big tech to steal this election.

But it’s important to understand that the strategy on X is part of a master strategy of Trump’s campaign: a backup plan in case of a Trump loss, designed to encourage the public to participate in a grand re-wiring of reality via the meta-narrative of widespread voter fraud.

Overwhelm the information space

Musk has long been a prominent user of X, even before he became the owner, chief technology officer and executive chairman of the platform.

But as I reported last week, since he endorsed Trump in July, engagement with his account has seen a sudden and anomalously large increase, raising suspicions as to whether he has tweaked the platform’s algorithms so his content reaches more people.

This trend has continued in recent days.

As well as posting on X, earlier today Musk also held a “freeform” live discussion on the platform about the election. It lasted for nearly one and a half hours. Around 1.3 million people tuned in. This is one of many live discussions he has hosted about the election over the past months, including notably with Trump.

In an information war, everything is about attention management. Platforms are designed to maximise engagement and user attention above and beyond anything else. This core logic of social media is highly exploitable: who controls attention controls the narrative. In Australia, the “Vote No” campaign during last year’s referendum on Indigenous representation in government was a masterclass in attention management.

By bombarding audiences, journalists, and other key stakeholders with a constant supply of allegations, rumours, conspiracy theories and unverifiable claims, Musk and the Trump campaign eat up all the oxygen of attention. When everyone is focussed on you and what you’re saying, they are distracted from what the other side is saying.

And Musk and Trump want people to focus on the idea that the election is going to be stolen.

Fuel the election fraud narrative

From the beginning of the year, the narrative that the US presidential election is at risk of being defrauded has been steadily gaining steam. But in the past week leading up to election day, it has gone gangbusters.

For example, starting on October 27, Trump started posting on X using the #TooBigtoRig hashtag. This refers to the idea that Trump will win the election by such a large margin that the result will be incontestable. Up to this point, the #TooBigToRig campaign was driven by Trump supporters. Now, Trump has officially joined – giving it the ultimate legitimacy.

There has also been a dramatic spike over the last week in posts using similarly themed hashtags such as #ElectionFraud, #ElectionInterference, #VoterFraud and #StopTheSteal.

Musk himself hasn’t been using these hashtags very much (although replies to him from other users are riddled with them). But he has been posting material that aligns with them. For example, earlier today he retweeted a post which claimed the electronic voting system in the US was insecure. Musk added: “Absolutely”.

He has also falsely accused Google of encouraging Americans to vote for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

And as some early results have started trickling in, Musk has posted about Trump’s odds of winning being nearly 70%.

“The prophecy has been fulfilled,” Musk wrote.

Participatory disinformation

In many ways this has all the hallmarks of participatory disinformation. This concept, developed by computer scientist Kate Starbird and colleagues, explains how both ordinary people as well as politicians and influential actors become active participants in spreading false narratives.

Unlike the top-down model of propaganda, participatory disinformation describes how grassroots activists and regular people – often with strong convictions and genuine intentions – contribute to spreading and evolving narratives that are not grounded in facts. It is a collaborative feedback loop involving both elite framing of issues and collective sensemaking and “evidence” gathering.

Before war breaks out, there are clear signs of what’s about to unfold, even if a country publicly denies they are preparing for battle. Blood supplies, troops and weaponry are transported to the border in preparation for an invasion.

The same thing is at play here, except the weapon is us.

The flood of tweets by Musk and Trump, in particular, is setting the stage for a full-blown participatory disinformation campaign to undermine the election results.

Timothy Graham receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for his Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, ‘Combatting Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour on Social Media’. He also receives ARC funding for the Discovery Project, ‘Understanding and combatting “Dark Political Communication”‘ (2024–2027).

– ref. Elon Musk’s flood of US election tweets may look chaotic. My data reveals an alarming strategy – https://theconversation.com/elon-musks-flood-of-us-election-tweets-may-look-chaotic-my-data-reveals-an-alarming-strategy-243021

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Extreme weather has already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion – and 38% is attributable to climate change

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emily Wilkinson, Principal Research Fellow, ODI

Multiverse / shutterstock

Two years ago, when the curtain fell on the COP27 summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, developing nations on the frontline of climate change had something meaningful to celebrate.

The creation of a new fund for responding to loss and damage was agreed after a hard-fought diplomatic effort, spearheaded by a group of small island developing states (sometimes known as the Sids). The fund would provide much needed support for climate-vulnerable nations faced with a spiralling human and financial toll from sea-level rise, extreme temperatures, droughts, wildfires, and intensifying floods and storms.

Yet two years on, the world’s wealthiest nations – also the largest carbon emitters – are still dragging their feet. They’ve not followed up their pledges with anywhere near the finance required.

Some nations, particularly the 39 Sids, which include places like Barbados, Grenada, Fiji and Vanuatu, are uniquely vulnerable to climate change and are already paying the price.

Sky-high ocean temperatures created the conditions for Hurricane Beryl to develop in July this year, as the earliest-forming Category 5 hurricane on record in the Caribbean. As oceans warm up, climate science tells us that this rapid intensification is becoming more common.

Fijians run for shelter as a cyclone approaches.
ChameleonsEye / shutterstock

The island nation of Fiji, best known as a tropical paradise, has experienced a frightening series of storms over recent years, linked to climate change. Cyclone Winston in 2016, one of the most intense on record, caused widespread flooding and lead to the loss of 44 lives.

This episode reduced Fiji’s GDP growth by 1.4 percentage points. According to the Asian Development Bank, ongoing losses from climate change could reach 4% of Fiji’s annual GDP by 2100, as higher temperatures and more extreme weather hold back growth.

This isn’t an isolated problem. Tropical cyclones and hurricanes have long battered small islands, but what is new is how often the most extreme storms and floods are happening, as well as our improved ability to measure their economic effects.

Direct and indirect impacts

Our latest research looked at extreme weather events affecting 35 small island developing nations. We first collected information about the direct consequences of these extreme weather events: the damaged homes, the injured people, and the bridges that must be rebuilt.

We then looked at how these events have affected GDP growth and public finances. These changes are not felt immediately, but rather as the economy stalls, tourism dries up, and expensive recovery plans inhibit spending in other areas.

In all, from 2000 to 2020, these direct and indirect impacts may have cost small island states a total of US$141 billion. That works out to around US$2,000 per person on average, although this figure underplays just how bad things can get in some places. Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused damage to the Caribbean island of Dominica worth more than double its entire GDP. That amounted to around US$20,000 per person, overnight. Almost a decade later, the country is still struggling with one of the largest debt burdens on earth at over 150% of GDP.

Dominica’s lush forests were badly damaged by Hurricane Maria.
Derek D Galon / shutterstock

Of these huge aggregate losses across all the small island development states, around 38% are attributable to climate change. That’s according to calculations we made based on “extreme event attribution” studies, which estimate the degree to which greenhouse gas emissions influenced extreme weather events.

What is clear is that small island economies are among the worst affected by severe weather. These island states have three to five times more climate-related loss and damage than other states, as a percentage of government revenues. That’s true even for wealthier small island states, like the Bahamas and Barbados, where loss and damage is four times greater than other high-income countries. For all small island nations, the economic impacts will increase, with “attributable” losses from extreme weather reaching US$75 billion by 2050 if global temperatures hit 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Our research helps us to see how far short the richer nations driving climate change are falling in their efforts to both curb emissions and to compensate the nations harmed by their failure to prevent climate change.

Developed countries need to pay up

One of the key discussions at the forthcoming COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, will be the “new collective quantified goal”. This is the technical name to describe how much money wealthy countries will need to contribute to help vulnerable nations to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

That overall goal must also include a target to finance small islands and other vulnerable countries, with billions more needed per year in the new loss and damage fund. Given the extent of actual and likely losses, nothing less than ambition on the scale of a “modern Marshall Plan” for these states will do.

In addition to this extra financing, the fund will need to work effectively to support the most climate vulnerable nations and populations when severe weather occurs. This can be done in a few ways.

The fund could create a budget support mechanism that can help small island states and other vulnerable countries deal with loss of income and the negative effects on growth. It could make sure loss and damage funds can be released quickly, and ensure support is channelled to those who need it the most. It could also make more concessional finance available for recovery, especially for the most adversely affected sectors like agriculture and tourism.

The world has a troubling history of missing self-imposed targets on climate finance and emissions reduction. But the stakes are ever higher now, and any target for loss and damage finance will need to be sufficient to deal with the challenges posed already by climate change, and in the years to come.

Emily Wilkinson receives funding from the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Ilan Noy, Matt Bishop, and Vikrant Panwar 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. Extreme weather has already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion – and 38% is attributable to climate change – https://theconversation.com/extreme-weather-has-already-cost-vulnerable-island-nations-us-141-billion-and-38-is-attributable-to-climate-change-242640

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Are these tiny insects the world’s most bone-idle bugs?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Gilbert, Lecturer in Zoology, University of Hull

Dunatothrips family: two mums, two yellow babies, and, very unusually, a dad (smaller). James Gilbert, CC BY

At less than 3mm long, you may not think Dunatothrips aneurae seem like much. And – as I have shown in a new study – you’d be absolutely right. That’s because these may be the world’s laziest insects.

Dunatothrips live in the remote Australian outback where they bother nobody. They almost never leave their near-invisible miniature nests, built on Acacia trees from silk they extrude from their bottom. No known predators bother with Dunatothrips and their biggest threat is drying out in the heat if their nest is damaged. Pacifist vegetarians, they feed harmlessly on the plant surface, with no discernible effect on it.

No bigger than the hyphen on your page, they belong to the thrips, which you may know as thunderbugs owing to a myth that they come out during thunderstorms. Almost everyone gets their name wrong (one thrips is a thrips, not a thrip). Some species make a nuisance of themselves as tomato pests. But for the Dunatothrips I investigated, that sounds a bit much too much like effort.

I spent a few summers studying the social lives of these tiny insects, trying to understand their unusual habit of sometimes living alone and sometimes in groups with their sisters. I was puzzled to discover that some group members appear to do nothing. Not helping out, not breeding, nothing. Few animal societies are known where group members help no one, not even themselves.

If the silk nest was damaged, I found, usually only one or two females inside stepped up to repair it. The remaining group members didn’t do anything. The responders’ repair efforts helped everybody, so the laggards enjoyed the benefits without raising a minuscule finger.

I set out to investigate what these “lazy” thrips were doing. Were they like queen bees, specialising in producing eggs while others acted as workers? Other social insects have this arrangement, including many other Australian thrips.

But no: when I dissected helpers and non-helpers I found it was the helpers
that tended to be the ones carrying eggs.

Maybe they were a reserve workforce, helping when others were lost, as in
some bird societies like carrion crows. But when first responders were removed, their nestmates remained just as unhelpful as before.

The author on a thrips collecting foray.
James Gilbert, CC BY

I wondered whether they were biding their time, waiting for a chance to breed later, as paper wasps do. I removed all group members except for a lazy one, gifting it a nest of its very own. They declined this opportunity as well, producing few or no eggs and taking up to five times as long to repair the nest as a helpful thrips put in the same situation.

If the lazy non-helpers don’t even help themselves, doesn’t that make them an evolutionary paradox? Not really: while behaviour only evolves if it furthers individuals’ fitness, evolution tends to work on averages. Within a species, individuals are all different, and some are inevitably of poorer quality than others. They may carry mutations, inherit unfortunate gene combinations, experience poor environments, or all of the above. Perhaps they were jostled to the edge of the leaf as a kid.

If life gives you lemons

Animals in this situation will commonly make the best of a bad job. A poor quality thrips can lay only a few eggs, and can only contribute a few strands of silk to repairing a nest. She can’t build the nest she would need to raise offspring on her own. So her best option is to hang around in a group where her young can grow alongside those of others.

It’s still a mystery why nestmates of these wastrels don’t kick them out. But it may involve their being unusually chilled out in the face of any provocation, even by dangerous intruders like their cousins Akainothrips, a new species I discovered with my colleagues. The resident Dunatothrips just stand aside.

This pacifism may be related to how risky nestbuilding is. At any moment, out there on a leaf surface, you might fall, be blown out of the nest, or dry out in the outback sun. Given that you might die at any moment, it pays you to tolerate the presence of others who can carry on your nestbuilding work and help keep everyone’s babies alive.

A simple evolutionary way to achieve this is to drop all aggression towards anyone, including intruders of different species. Some spiders have done this and form cooperative nurseries involving different spider species. For our lucky waster thrips, this means they get a free pass to stay in the group.

It is also possible these bone-idle bugs may actually be helping, just in subtle ways. For example, Dunatothrips nests have rubbish dumps, so they might help by taking out the trash. In many social insects, including some thrips, workers can act as medics. Even just breathing inside the nest may raise humidity and help the group survive – cockroaches form groups at low humidity for just this reason.

So, while non-helper Dunatothrips may be among the world’s least motivated insects, they are certainly not the least interesting. The evolutionary persistence of these laggards is helping us understand how different kinds of societies evolve.

James Gilbert currently receives funding from UKRI (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council). This study was funded by a Marie Curie Fellowship (2011-2014) under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme.

– ref. Are these tiny insects the world’s most bone-idle bugs? – https://theconversation.com/are-these-tiny-insects-the-worlds-most-bone-idle-bugs-242454

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Historical sites and artifacts impress foreign experts

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

While several expats are admiring the intricate animal patterns on an ancient Chinese bronze object, others are carefully listening to a tour guide explain the skill and wisdom behind the craftsmanship.

It was part of the “Exploring China “Henan Tour event in Zhengzhou, Luoyang and Anyang in Central China’s Henan province from Sunday to Tuesday.

Participants of the “Exploring China” Henan Tour admire a bronze ware at Henan Museum in Zhengzhou city. XU LIN/CHINA DAILY

More than 40 foreign experts in classical studies from 13 countries visited Henan’s heritage sites, Longmen Grottoes and the Yinxu Museum, immersing themselves in the rich Chinese culture and civilization.

Two other groups joined the tours in Shandong province, visiting places like the Temple of Confucius, and in Sichuan province, traveling to key archaeological sites like Sanxingdui and Jinsha.

These experts are participants in the World Conference of Classics, being held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.

“I’m excited to visit China for the first time, and I plan to travel to China again with my family, to see more of its deep culture and history,” says Michael Trapp, emeritus professor of Greek literature and thought at King’s College London.

Before setting out, he sought advice from his Chinese doctoral student in London and his brother, a Chinese language translator who often travels to China for work. Both suggested that given his passion for history, archaeology and art, he would find his visit to Henan particularly captivating, which he does.

At the museums, he finds that the use of modern technology has made historical sites more accessible to a modern audience, striking a delicate balance between preserving ancient materials and showing their history vividly via replicas and digital reconstructions. “This endeavor requires considerable effort and creativity,” he says.

He believes that it’s wonderful to see the massive size of the Erlitou Site in Luoyang and the artifacts excavated from it at the nearby museum. It shows the archaeological process of their discovery.

Thomas Michael from the United States, professor at School of Philosophy, Beijing Normal University, who does research into Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, agrees.

“I’ve read about all these places, but it’s the first time to see various artifacts about the origins and downfall of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) and the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC),” he says. “It’s amazing to see the ancient centers of Chinese civilization. These are important periods for Confucianism. … The Confucian tradition goes all the way back to Zhougong (the Duke of Zhou) from the Western Zhou Dynasty.”

The duke was believed to have been a prolific author with humanistic ideas and written Rites of Zhou, a fundamental ancient Chinese classic on organizational theory.

Mary Evelyn Tucker, a senior lecturer and research scholar at Yale University, says: “It’s exciting to have this cultural tour to Henan and see that China is recovering its own traditional past. … China’s modernization has developed very rapidly over the past 40 years since my first visit to the country in 1985.”

Her research fields include Confucianism and ecology. China is moving toward ecological civilization, she says, which has greatly changed its ecology, society and spirituality.

She says that Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have the cultural values for an awakening of environmental consciousness, for example, the concept of “heaven and man are united as one” in Chinese philosophy.

Costas Synolakis, the Chair of Earth Sciences in the Academy of Athens, points out that “it’s great to see the different periods of Chinese history and how its art evolves”.

His research focuses on how people in ancient Greece and Rome understood and dealt with extreme disasters. He’s surprised to find that the ancient Chinese tried to control floods about 4,000 years ago when he visited Henan’s museums. “It’s around the 4th and 5th centuries BC that people in the Mediterranean started to understand that floods and earthquakes are natural phenomena. … It’s motivating for me to learn much more about Chinese culture, especially the recorded floods in its history.”

According to him, many people associate China’s history with its dynasties, but are not familiar with the country’s ancient capitals in Henan and how the Chinese shifted these ancient capitals in history. That’s why the trip has impressed him greatly.

MIL OSI China News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The extreme floods which devastated Spain are hitting more often. Is Australia ready for the next one?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Conrad Wasko, ARC DECRA Fellow in Hydrology, University of Sydney

Spain is still reeling from recent floods in the Valencia region. In some areas, a year’s worth of rain fell in a single day. Sudden torrents raced through towns and cities. Over 200 people are dead. Rapid analysis suggests daily rainfall extremes in this region and season have become twice as common over the last 75 years and become 12% more intense.

The World Meteorological Organisation has pointed out that climate change is steadily increasing the risk of extreme floods like these. Warmer air can hold more water vapour, about 7% more per degree Celsius of warming. More moisture generally leads to more intense rainfall, and therefore more extreme floods.

The physics of how temperature influences the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture has been known for close to 200 years. But we’ve learned something worrying more recently. When water vapour condenses to form rain droplets, it releases heat which can fuel stronger convection and boost updrafts of air currents in storms. This means the intensity of extreme rainfall could increase not just 7% per degree of warming, but over twice that rate.

Last week, CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology released their biennial report on the State of the Climate, which found “heavy short-term rainfall events are becoming more intense”. Australia, the report states, has already warmed 1.5°C since national records began in 1910. In recent years, extreme rains have triggered devastating floods in New South Wales and Queensland.

The question now is – are we prepared for these more damaging floods? This year, Australia updated the climate change section of Australia’s flood design guidance. But while this will help ensure that future infrastructure is better able to weather extreme floods, our current bridges, roads and stormwater drains have not been built to weather these increases in extreme rainfall. Similarly, our flood planning levels – used to determine where houses, offices, hospitals and so forth can be built – have generally not factored in the reality of the threat.

More floods and more extreme

Many of us would have learned about the water cycle in school. Water evaporates from seas and lakes before falling as rain and filling lakes and rivers, which eventually makes it back to the sea.

Unfortunately, climate change is making this cycle more intense, as detailed in a recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Rain is more likely to fall in intense short-duration bursts which are more likely to trigger floods.

This year alone, we have seen disastrous and deadly floods from extreme storms across the Americas, Asia and Europe. Scientific analysis has showed these floods were more severe due to human-caused climate change.

Australia is not immune. The devastating northern New South Wales floods of 2022 took 24 lives and ravaged towns such as Lismore. These floods are the most expensive natural disaster to date in Australia, costing A$5.65 billion in damages.

How do you prepare for worse floods?

When urban planners set flood planning levels, or engineers begin designing a new bridge or rail line, they have to take floods into account. To do so, they will inevitably reach for the local bible, Australia’s flood design guidance.

Before 2024, this document allowed for a 5% increase in rainfall intensity per degree of global warming, and generally applied it only to infrastructure intended for a very long lifespan. This clashed with most scientific studies on the topic both globally and in Australia, which showed much greater increases, and that these increases are already being witnessed.

To provide better flood guidance, we and our colleagues undertook a comprehensive review of over 300 scientific papers covering climate change in Australia and extreme rainfall.

The review proved we had been underestimating the threat of extreme rains and subsequent floods. Rain events over a 24-hour period leading to flooding are likely to increase at 8% per degree of warming, not 5%. Hourly rainfall extremes are likely increasing even faster, at 15% per degree.

Worse, these are just the central estimates. The wide range of plausible values suggests some rain events could eclipse these. For daily or longer extreme rains, the range is 2–15%. For hourly or shorter periods, that figure is 7–28% for hourly or shorter duration.

Over the month of February in 2022, the Lismore region had about 600–800 mm of rain – much more than a normal February, which might see closer to 150 mm on average. These floods took place with just 1.1°C of warming since the pre-industrial period. On our current path, it’s possible the world could warm another 1.5°C or more by the end of this century. If this happens, these rainfall totals could be substantially higher and more likely to cause even worse flood impacts.

These new figures have now been included in the August update of Australia’s flood design guidance. This is good news. It means future decisions on infrastructure and planning can now be well informed by the latest science on how climate change influences flood risk.

Over time, this will ensure essential infrastructure can be built to endure worse floods. It will affect the design and construction of everything from local stormwater drains to levees, bridges, culverts and dam spillways.

Preparing for extreme floods is complex. Pictured: water spilling out from a manhole during Spain’s floods.
Fernando Astasio Avila/Shutterstock

Local councils can use it to set the height of floor levels for property development. State and federal decision-makers can use it in planning for responses to flood emergencies.

Does it mean we can avoid disastrous floods like those in Spain and Lismore? Yes and no. We now have the knowledge and tools to adapt to the increased risk levels already arriving. Yet implementing this will be challenging. In many cases, it will require retrofitting or redesigning existing infrastructure to withstand more intense flooding.

Climate change is no longer something we can file under “problem for the future”. It’s here already. The flood risks we face today are already substantially worse than 25 years ago, and will continue to worsen. We must accelerate how we plan for extreme, rapid rainfall creating catastrophic floods like those in Spain.

Conrad Wasko receives funding from The University of Sydney and the Australian Research Council. Conrad has previously received funding from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Andrew Dowdy receives funding from University of Melbourne, including through the Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes and the Melbourne Energy Institute.

Seth Westra is a Professor of Hydrology and Climate Risk at the University of Adelaide, Director of Research for the One Basin Cooperative Research Centre, and Chair of the Systems Cooperative. Seth receives funding from state and federal governments support decision making under hydrological or climatic uncertainty.

– ref. The extreme floods which devastated Spain are hitting more often. Is Australia ready for the next one? – https://theconversation.com/the-extreme-floods-which-devastated-spain-are-hitting-more-often-is-australia-ready-for-the-next-one-242686

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Historical reconstructions, creative master classes and more: what awaits guests of the Moskino cinema park this weekend

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

This weekend, visitors to the Moskino Cinema Park will be able to travel to the lands of Red Rus’ in the 11th century and witness the bloody struggle for territories bordering the Polish Principality. On November 9 and 10, reenactors will recreate events related to the campaigns of Yaroslav the Wise. Thematic excursions, exhibitions and historical master classes have also been prepared for guests. Live music will also be playing in the cinema park all weekend.

Entrance to events on November 9 and 10 by tickets. You can buy and pay for them only online, cash payment is not provided. In case of visiting only the cinema, purchasing a ticket to enter the Moskino cinema park is not required. Parking in a personal car when visiting the cinema park is free.

See historical battles and master ancient crafts

These days, the Moskino cinema park will become the arena of events from 1030–1031. The border towns of Przemysl and Cherven, first annexed after the Baptism of Rus during the reign of Vladimir the Saint, had been the subject of a dispute between the neighbors since the 10th century. It was these lands that Yaroslav’s brother Svyatopolk the Accursed gave to the Polish king in exchange for troops to help in the struggle for power over Rus. Prince Yaroslav the Wise put an end to his brother’s claims and recaptured the territories on the border with Poland.

Guests of the Moskino cinema park will see military shows and professional productions dedicated to the events of those years. At 11:00 and 16:00 viewers will see the drill training of squads dressed in authentic costumes of warriors of those times.

At the Cathedral Square site at 12:00 you can cheer for the participants of the squad tournament, and at 14:00 you can listen to a lecture on “Clothing of the inhabitants of Rus”. At 17:30 you can see the battle of the troops of Yaroslav the Wise and the army of the Polish king Boleslav I. About 80 people will take part in the detailed reconstruction.

At 15:00 in the culinary lecture hall, everyone will be shown how to prepare dishes according to old and traditional recipes. Among them are meat and bean soups, homemade cheese, smoked brisket, onion jam, as well as juicy chicken on the fire, pork ribs smoked in a cauldron and hearty pork roast.

These days, the cinema park will organize three excursion routes at once through several exhibitions. The first exhibition will show unique costumes from the 9th–11th centuries, the second will demonstrate various military equipment from the 11th century. During a visit to the third exhibition, guests will learn the most interesting details related to the life of Rus’ in the 11th century. The excursions last 20 minutes and will take place in turns throughout the day — from 10:00 to 18:00. The meeting place is the stele near the display cases with historical exhibits.

At the master classes, participants will be offered to try themselves in the role of a blacksmith and candle maker, master the technique of printing on fabric, the basics of calligraphy and carpet weaving, learn the basics of wood and soapstone carving, and also take part in the production of beads and amulet dolls, practice minting coins and soap making. Guests will learn how jewelers worked without microscopes and bright lighting, how armor was created, visit a warrior school and military training classes, and visit a gunsmith and tanner.

And military equipment from the 20th century can be seen in the parking lot in front of the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Equipment. The exhibition “Behind the Ribbon” presents airborne and infantry armored vehicles, support vehicles such as the BMD-1, BTR-60, BTR-70, Ural-375, GAZ-66, BTR-60 and others.

Get creative and go on a film trip

On 25 sites of the cinema park, all comers will find active games and other events. For example, you can shoot a bow, fight on tyambars and manually start a fire. Guests will also be offered to play board games “Tavley”, “Mill”, “Fox and Geese”, “Daldosa”.

You can also take a fascinating journey through your favorite films. For example, the Uyezdny Gorod site will host the premiere of a staged shoot based on Mikhail Kozakov’s famous film Pokrovskie Vorota. Guests will be able to play their favorite characters: Velyurov, Kostik, Margarita, or Khobotov. The shoot will take place from 10:00 to 18:00.

The Pitersky Bar venue will turn into the legendary Three Minnows tavern from the Buratino fairy tale. Guests will act out a scene fragment together with the fox Alice and the cat Basilio. You can take a souvenir photo dressed as the fairytale character.

At the Moscow in the 1940s site, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the post-war capital, try on the image of the heroes of that time and take photos.

In the educational center of the Moskino cinema park, young Muscovites will take part in master classes. Thus, at the string art master class, children, under the guidance of experienced craftsmen, will create works of art by forming images from threads. And at another, they will make a movie clapperboard, a device used for sound synchronization during filming. Children will be taught how to depict emotions using face painting and oil paint at a master class on face painting with special paints. Participation in the master classes is paid.

On the first floor of the educational center you can also buy a ticket for a walking tour. Starting at 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00.

Children are welcome in the Fairytale Park. In the castle, they will learn teamwork when moving cubes from one sector to another, and will demonstrate their accuracy in the Ring Toss. And at the Snake Catcher station, children will have a fun game with a rope and islands. In addition, children will take part in the Horseman relay race with a toy horse and sword, the Spinner game, and in balls.

Become a star and watch a movie

All visitors to the Media Academy of the film park will be able to unleash their creative potential this coming weekend. There will be classes on acting, where they will teach how to create memorable images, tell the secrets of stage speech, plasticity and movement, and also introduce various acting techniques.

Guests are also welcome to a dance master class, where participants will be able to create their own style of movement to music. And in the “Sing Like in the Movies!” classes, vocal teachers will teach you how to control your breathing, help you understand how to work with the diaphragm and make your voice beautiful and expressive. Entrance is paid.

Musical groups will perform at the Gonzaga Theatre. They will play pieces on ancient instruments such as the duduk and the bugle. In addition, viewers will be able to learn all the secrets of sword fights and understand how the knights fought in the legendary Soviet film The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe, the box office leader of 1983.

At the Moskino Kinopark cinema, adults will be able to watch the drama Love of the Soviet Union, which tells about the fates of people in the 1930s, and the film Time to Live, starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. For fans of family films, the program includes a new film, The Return of Kesha the Parrot. Guests will also enjoy fairy-tale adventures in the new fantasy Tinderbox, filmed in Karelia and in the reserves of the Novgorod Region. Tickets can be purchased on the website.

Weekend at the Moskino Cinema Park

Immerse yourself in the world of cinema, try yourself in various creative directions and simply enjoy free time with family and friends – this is the unique opportunity that the Moskino cinema park offers its guests.

The Moskino Cinema Park, which is part of the Moscow Cinema Cluster, is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project. The first stage of its development has already been completed: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built. Among them are the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow in the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.

The capital’s film cluster also includes the Maxim Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proezd), the Moskino cinema chain, the Moskino film factory, the Moskino film commission, and the Moskino film platform.

The President of Russia and the Mayor of Moscow ceremoniously opened the Moskino cinema park From Ancient Rus’ to Our Time: Which Sites of the Moskino Cinema Park Can You Immerse Yourself in Different Eras Vitebsk railway station, Cathedral square and the plane cabin. Exploring the Moskino cinema park

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/146236073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ16: Short-term parking arrangements for delivery couriers

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Kingsley Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (November 6):

Question:

     It has been reported that the new communities of Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, with a population of more than 30 000, have great demand for the services of online delivery platforms. However, some of the relevant trade unionists have reflected that the management offices of these housing estates have not considered the need of delivery couriers for short-term parking of their motorcycles. Not only have the management offices failed to provide temporary parking spaces, they have also stepped up their efforts to impound motorcycles and have even lodged complaints with the Police about motorcycles obstructing roads, resulting in delivery couriers often having to pay impounding charges and fines for penalty tickets. Such trade unionists hope that the relevant estate management offices and the Police can take into account the principles of legality, reasonableness and compassion in their actions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as there are views about the varying standards of the management offices of different public housing estates in managing the short-term parking of delivery couriers’ motorcycles in the housing estates, which has left delivery couriers at a loss, whether the authorities will consider providing guidelines for all parties to follow; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will keep abreast with the need to develop the platform economy by using the housing estates with recent population intakes (e.g. Queen’s Hill Estate) as pilot estates to provide “designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery” within or near the housing estates to allow delivery couriers to park their motorcycles for short periods; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether it will follow the practice of the Mainland and set up “courier posts” in various districts to provide areas for resting, eating and using toilets, equipped with facilities such as water dispensers and first-aid kits, so as to improve the working conditions and well-‍being of delivery couriers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4) whether it has estimated the latest number of local delivery couriers accepting orders through online platforms?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Transport and Logistics Bureau, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), a consolidated reply to the Hon Kingsley Wong’s question is as follows:

(1) & (2) In general, establishing designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery services in public housing estates or on public roads nearby requires effective management measures to ensure that these parking spaces are used as intended, such as restricting the parking purpose and limiting the parking duration based on the circumstances of each public housing estate to avoid prolonged occupancy. At present, motorcycle parking spaces on public roads are open for public use, including food delivery motorcycles. There are no restrictions on the parking use of the parking spaces. The Transport Department endeavours to increase the supply of motorcycle parking spaces on public roads to meet with the keen demand of motorcyclists through various means. It is initially assessed that the feasibility in establishing designated motorcycle parking spaces for a specific purpose is relatively low.

     Overall speaking, loading/unloading bays are provided around the domestic blocks in most of the housing estates/courts under the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) for vehicles, including delivery motorcycles, to load/unload goods or pick-up/drop-off passengers. Taking into account the prevalent need for short-term parking by various types of vehicles to load/unload goods and pick-up/drop-off passengers, the HA has waived the parking fees for vehicles parked in its loading/unloading bays in all housing estates/courts under the HA’s management for up to 30 minutes.

     In addition, for roads other than the loading/unloading bays, the Housing Department (HD) or the authorised staff of the housing estates/courts/car park operators will exercise discretion with regard to the actual situation in handling short-term parking by delivery motorcycles and other vehicles in a reasonable and compassionate manner. Given that the specific circumstances and road design vary in different housing estates/courts, the staff concerned will, in handling the matter, consider the needs of delivery couriers and will strike a balance among various factors such as estate management, the impact on other residents and road users, as well as whether the road section concerned is an emergency vehicular access which has to be kept clear at all times for fire appliances, police vehicles or ambulances to carry out rescue and other operations. In general, the staff will first issue a verbal/written warning to request the driver concerned to drive off the illegally parked vehicle. Only when the warning goes unheeded, the driver will receive fixed penalty tickets or have the vehicle impounded in accordance with the law. Couriers can use the loading/unloading bays adjacent to the domestic blocks for short-term parking of their motorcycles to facilitate their delivery services, and the estate staff will handle short-term parking by delivery motorcycles in a reasonable and compassionate manner according to the actual situation. The above arrangements took into account the needs of all the stakeholders.

Queens Hill Estate is a public rental housing estate under the HA, while the neighbouring Shan Lai Court is a sold housing court under the “Home Ownership Scheme”. Lung Ma Road and Lung Chun Road, the major roads serving Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, are restricted roads within Queens Hill Estate. No parking is allowed at any time on these two roads which are under the control of the HD. The housing estate and court concerned are provided with emergency vehicular access to various domestic blocks, each of which is provided with loading/unloading bays in the vicinity with free parking offer for the first 30 minutes to allow short-term parking by vehicles (including motorcycles). At present, seven and six loading/unloading bays are provided adjacent to the domestic blocks in Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court respectively. These facilities provide spaces for free temporary parking, enabling couriers to promptly deliver services. In addition, 11 hourly motorcycle parking spaces are provided in Queens Hill Estate for visitors (including couriers).

     It is noted that some motorcycles/vehicles are parked on Lung Ma Road and Lung Chun Road, of which parking is prohibited at all times, or on the adjacent pedestrian footpaths. There are even vehicles parked illegally on emergency vehicle access in the housing estate/court, posing danger to other road users and pedestrians. Therefore, enforcement actions must be taken. The management agency appointed by the HA is authorised to carry out enforcement actions. Warning banners have been put up in prominent areas on roads to remind drivers that illegal parking will result in their vehicle impounded or issuance of fixed penalty tickets. If illegal parking is identified, the staff will warn the driver on-site to drive away the vehicle as soon as possible; and issue a warning notice if the driver is not present. Should the warning be unheeded, the vehicles concerned will be impounded. According to the record, most of the impounded vehicles were prolonged parking vehicles rather than short-term parking by delivery motorcycles. It can thus be seen that the aforementioned enforcement actions have been carried out in a lawful, reasonable and compassionate manner, and the impact on couriers has been minimal. It is observed that the situation has now been improved and in general couriers would temporarily park their motorcycles on the loading/unloading bays adjacent to the domestic blocks for delivery services.

     As for the supply of motorcycle parking spaces, the HD has provided seven additional monthly motorcycle parking spaces in the carpark of Queens Hill Estate since January 2024 having regard to the demand for motorcycle parking spaces and technical feasibility. All these parking spaces have been rented out. The implementation of the above integrated measures has greatly improved the illegal parking situation within Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, leading to a drop in the number of impounded vehicles.

     In view of the limited public spaces in housing estates and the requirement for the provision of emergency vehicular access, loading/unloading bays, pedestrian links as well as the recreational, leisure and greening facilities in accordance with the planning standards, it is not feasible to provide additional “designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery”.

(3) and (4) Commissioned by the Labour Department (LD), the C&SD has contracted out in September 2023 a Thematic Household Survey to collect information on, among others, the characteristics and working conditions of digital platform workers engaging in food and goods delivery services. The household survey is the first of its kind and fieldwork has been completed. Data processing and analysis are underway. The C&SD expected that the key findings of the relevant survey will be available in early 2025.

     The Government has always supported the development of different industries. With the rapid development of platform economy, the Government is very concerned about the working conditions and protection for delivery couriers and digital platform workers. The LD has set up a Liaison Group to facilitate the communication among major food and goods delivery platform operators and labour organisations as well as to encourage platform companies to adopt good practices for enhancing the working conditions and protection for platform workers.

     Should there be any measures related to the platform economy, the HD will spare no effort to provide necessary support.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 26, 2025

Category: Natural Disasters

Kua ea te take e pā ana ki te whenua o Base Woodbourne ki te taha o ngā iwi o Kurahaupō

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