NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI China: Consistent monitoring helps improve soil erosion condition

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

    China saw a steady improvement in soil erosion conditions last year, with the total affected area shrinking by nearly 1 percent, the Ministry of Water Resources said.

    By the end of last year, more than 2.6 million square kilometers of land was plagued by erosion, down by almost 26,000 square kilometers, according to the ministry’s dynamic monitoring of soil and water loss.

    The monitoring also showed a decline in erosion severity, with the proportion of areas experiencing moderate or severe soil erosion dropping by 0.28 percentage points year-on-year to 34.26 percent last year.

    The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region saw the most progress in tackling the issue, with its erosion-affected area shrinking by 2.48 percent — more than 2.5 times the national average, the ministry said.

    Most of the improvements occurred in the basins of China’s seven major rivers, including the Yangtze and Yellow. More than 73 percent of the total reduction in erosion-affected areas was recorded in these basins, which also accounted for nearly 91 percent of the decline in areas with moderate or severe erosion.

    The ministry attributed the improvement in part to strengthened oversight of activities that could trigger erosion. Advances in monitoring methods, including satellite remote sensing, credit-based supervision and internet-based surveillance, have helped authorities promptly detect and precisely identify illegal activities contributing to soil erosion, it said.

    “These efforts have consistently enhanced the precision and effectiveness of supervision,” the ministry said.

    The incidence of soil erosion in areas disturbed by human activity fell to 46.65 percent last year, a sharp decline of 31 percentage points from 2019, the ministry said.

    Authorities are also exploring the potential of carbon sink trading — projects that absorb more carbon dioxide than they emit — as a funding source for conservation efforts.

    China’s first transaction of such a carbon sink took place in late 2023 in the Luodi River basin in Changting county, Fujian province, where a 100,000-metric-ton carbon sink was sold for 1.8 million yuan ($248,300).

    All proceeds from the deal will go toward water and soil conservation and ecological restoration in the basin, according to local authorities.

    Chen Xian, an official with the Fujian Provincial Department of Water Resources, told Xinhua News Agency that carbon sink trading aligns with China’s long-standing directive that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.”

    Previously, erosion control efforts relied largely on government funding and limited private donations, constraining financial resources, Chen said.

    “Carbon sink trading provides a clearer economic incentive for individuals, companies and organizations engaged in water and soil conservation,” he said, adding that the mechanism could attract more private investment into conservation efforts.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Sabra Lane, AM, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Sabra Lane:

    The federal Treasurer joins us now, Jim Chalmers, welcome.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Thanks very much, Sabra.

    Lane:

    Are there any surprises left tonight?

    Chalmers:

    Oh, you’ll see how it all comes together tonight and that’s really what the Budget will do, it will bring together the progress that we’ve made together as Australians with the plan for the future from here. It will be a responsible budget, it will help with the cost of living, strengthen Medicare and build Australia’s future.

    Lane:

    The government is continuing to hand out energy rebates to ease the cost‑of‑living pressures. How likely is it that a payment like that will become a permanent feature of future budgets to protect households from the ongoing cost of the transition to low‑emissions power?

    Chalmers:

    First of all, I think as Evelyn said in the package that you just ran, cost of living is front of mind for most Australians and it’s absolutely front and centre in the Budget and the energy bill rebates are an important part of that.

    We have to make sure that everything we’re doing with the cost of living is responsible. We’ve extended those energy rebates for another 6 months, not because we see them as a permanent feature in the Budget, but because we know that people are still under pressure.

    We’ve made a lot of progress together as Australians in our economy, the economy is turning a corner, but we know we’ve got more work to do because people are still under the pump and there’s all of this global economic uncertainty. So whether it’s the energy bill rebates or the other cost‑of‑living relief in the Budget, to strengthen Medicare and make medicines cheaper, we’re doing it in the most responsible way that we can and that 6‑month extension reflects that.

    Lane:

    Okay. So not a permanent feature if you’re re‑elected, there may not be further support in 2026?

    Chalmers:

    What we’ve said really at every budget is from budget to budget we do what we can to help with the cost of living subject to those budget constraints and subject to that responsible economic management which has helped engineer a pretty stunning turnaround in the budget and got that Liberal debt down so that we’re avoiding all those interest costs. So we’ve made good progress in the budget. From budget to budget, we review the cost‑of‑living policies to make sure that we’re doing what we meaningfully can to help people in the most responsible way.

    Lane:

    Collectively, all that help that you’ve given for cost‑of‑living relief tallies now to I think $6.8 billion. Would that money have been better spent putting solar panels and heat pumps on the homes of vulnerable Australians that would have delivered ongoing relief from power bills.

    Chalmers:

    Well, first of all, there are investments in the Budget to help people with cleaner and cheaper energy. We’ve been investing enthusiastically in renewables throughout the life of this government and we’ll continue to do that, that’s very clear.

    Secondly, some of the announcements that we’ve made over the course of recent weeks and months were already provisioned for in the Budget, including those energy rebates on Sunday.

    And thirdly, what we’re trying to do here is to strike the right balance – cost‑of‑living help right now but also building Australia’s future and we see cleaner and cheaper energy as absolutely central to the future economy that we’re building.

    Lane:

    Australia will need more gas in the transition to a low carbon emissions future. Where will that come from?

    Chalmers:

    We’ve made it clear that even as we go for cleaner and cheaper sources of energy that to build the future economy and create jobs and opportunities we know that there is a role for gas, whether it’s in firming or manufacturing or in other ways and so we are working very hard to ensure that there’s the necessary gas supply to make sure that we can get this energy transformation right and I’m confident that we will.

    Lane:

    My colleague Jacob Greber reports that the Coalition’s on the cusp of announcing a Gas Reservation Policy. The government has also apparently been considering such an idea. Are you tempted to do that now?

    Chalmers:

    Well, we’ve made it very clear with our Future Gas Strategy that we’re striking the right balance here and making sure that there’s enough gas at the same time as we invest in cleaner and cheaper sources of energy into the future. So we’ve got our own policies and plans, and my colleague, Madeleine King, is doing a great job working –

    Lane:

    So no future plans for a reservation policy?

    Chalmers:

    Well, obviously we keep under constant review the different elements of the gas industry to make sure that it’s supplying the gas that Australians need at the same time as we invest in energy more broadly. So my colleague, Madeleine King’s doing a great job on that.

    Lane:

    Sure. But you’re not ruling it out.

    Chalmers:

    Well, we’ve got a Future Gas Strategy already and we work through as that evolves and as we get extra information from the ACCC and elsewhere, we make sure that our policies and plans keep up with the way that the sector and the market’s evolving and that’s what Madeleine’s doing.

    Lane:

    It’s Liberation Day on April 2, next week, that’s what the Trump administration is calling it. Have you tucked away extra money in the Budget to possibly help Australian companies that might be harmed with reciprocal tariffs that might come and the job that might go as a consequence?

    Chalmers:

    Well, really one of the major themes of the Budget is making our economy more resilient in the face of all of this global economic uncertainty. We have expressed on multiple occasions, and I will again today, our concern about these escalating trade tensions. We’re a very trade‑exposed country. We’re not uniquely impacted by these tariffs out of Washington DC, but we’ve got a lot of skin in the game.

    And so what the Budget will be about in addition to helping with the cost of living and strengthening Medicare, it will also be about making us more resilient to these external shocks. There will be a little bit of funding to promote ‘Buy Australian’ in Australia but also more broadly the billions of dollars that we’re investing in things like green metals making sure that we are reliable parts of global supply chains as they change in response to these US tariffs. That’s a big defining feature of the Budget.

    Lane:

    And a contingency, just in case?

    Chalmers:

    Our contingency is to make our economy more resilient. When we talk about building Australia’s future, what we’re really talking about is making our economy more competitive and dynamic and productive but also more resilient. Now this is a new world of uncertainty, and the Budget will be a platform for prosperity in that new global context. A lot of the investments that we’re making in our Future Made in Australia are all about that.

    Lane:

    And as you point out, we’ve seen a lot of uncertainty. Many people are very worried about the future, their kids, technology, what we’re seeing in world affairs as well as the pace of that change. Being boring might actually have some strong voter appeal.

    Chalmers:

    Well, we’ll see, we’ll see. I think what we’re trying to do here is to make the right economic decisions for the right reasons and I say to people who are worried about these global developments, the Australian economy has genuinely turned a corner. We’ve got inflation down and wages up, unemployment’s low, we’ve got the debt down, interest rates have started coming down, and growth is rebounding solidly in our economy as well.

    And so we’re doing better than most countries in this new world of uncertainty and the Budget is about building on that momentum in the interests of middle Australia.

    Lane:

    Jim Chalmers, thanks for joining AM this morning.

    Chalmers:

    Thanks so much, Sabra.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop interview, Parliament House

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Jim Chalmers:

    Tonight’s Budget will be a responsible budget. It will help with the cost of living, strengthen Medicare and build Australia’s future. We know that cost of living is front of mind for most Australians, and it will be absolutely front and centre tonight in our Budget. Our economic plan is all about ensuring more Australians are working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn. And that’s the motivation behind the cost of living help that people will see in tonight’s Budget.

    The Budget is about strengthening Medicare and the election will be an opportunity to secure it for the future. We’ve made a lot of progress together in our economy, but we know there’s more work to do because people are under pressure and the global economic environment is so uncertain.

    But in this context and in this global economic environment, we’ve got inflation down, real wages and incomes are up, unemployment is very low, interest rates have started to come down, we’ve got the debt down and growth is rebounding solidly in our economy as well. So, we have made a lot of progress together and the Budget is about building on that progress together as well.

    Our Budget and our economy are both now in much better condition than we found them 3 years ago. We’ve got the Liberal debt down by $177 billion, and that is saving Australians something like $60 billion in debt interest. We’ve helped engineer the biggest ever improvement in the budget in a single term, in dollar terms, a $207 billion improvement in the budget.

    We’ve delivered 2 surpluses, we’ve shrunk the deficit for this year, we’ve engineered that $207 billion improvement – that means less debt and less debt interest at the same time. So that we can make room to strengthen Medicare and help with the cost of living and build Australia’s future as well. So, we have made good progress together as Australians. The Budget will reflect that. We do know that there’s more work to do because people are still under pressure and the global outlook is uncertain and it is challenging.

    So, the Budget tonight will be a platform for prosperity in a new world of uncertainty. It will recognise that people need and deserve a bit more extra help when it comes to the cost of living. It will make our economy more resilient in the face of all of this global economic uncertainty. And I’m looking forward to telling you all about it tonight and to take some questions now, please.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, what more cost‑of‑living relief can we expect in this Budget, especially for working Australians, and is this Budget about the next few weeks or the next few years?

    Chalmers:

    This is a budget to build Australia’s future. It strikes the right balance between helping people with the cost of living and investing in a more competitive, more productive and dynamic economy into the future so that we’re more resilient to these global shocks which are becoming a regular feature of the world’s economy. Despite all of this global economic uncertainty, the Australian economy is turning a corner.

    We see that with lower inflation, higher real wages, low unemployment. We see that with growth rebounding solidly and we’ve been able to get the debt down and interest rates have started to be cut as well. So, we’ve made a lot of progress together. A big part of that progress is being willing in the first 3 budgets and again in the fourth to help people with the cost of living in the most responsible way we can.

    Journalist:

    Can you just clarify a bit about that? What do you mean about resilience? What measures are there to protect against that global uncertainty, and specifically tariffs that we are expecting Donald Trump to impose?

    Chalmers:

    Our best defence against global economic uncertainty is a more resilient economy. And that’s what the billions of dollars, for example, that we’re investing in green metals is all about. That’s what the modest amount of money that we’ll be devoting to the Buy Australia promotion is all about, but also making our economy more competitive and dynamic.

    It’s unusual in budgets on the eve of an election for it to have proper economic reform. But you’ll see some economic reform in the Budget tonight, which will be all about making our economy more competitive so we can lift living standards and boost wages.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, what’s in the Budget for northern New South Wales?

    Chalmers:

    You’ll see in the Budget that we’re very enthusiastic investors in all of our regions, including in northern New South Wales. We know that they’ve had an especially rough time, as have the good people of southeast Queensland in recent times. We’ve provisioned, for example, another $1.2 billion to rebuild local communities and some of that will flow to the Northern Rivers and northern New South Wales. And that’s because we know it’s a really beautiful, important part of Australia and we’ll invest in it enthusiastically once again.

    Journalist:

    If people are still under pressure Treasurer as you say, can’t you do a bit better than just $150 off these energy bills?

    Chalmers:

    You’ll see tonight how the cost‑of‑living package comes together. The energy rebates are an important part of the cost‑of‑living package, but not the only part. The Prime Minister announced the policy for even cheaper medicines on Thursday. The whole motivation of strengthening Medicare is because more bulk billing means less pressure on families.

    We have shown a willingness and an enthusiasm to do what we responsibly can to help people with the cost of living. All of those measures reinforce each other. It’s not just energy rebates, it’s also cheaper medicines. But really one of the centrepieces of this Budget is Labor’s efforts to strengthen Medicare. The Budget is about strengthening Medicare and the election is Australians’ opportunity to protect it and safeguard it against Peter Dutton.

    The election will be a referendum on Medicare and the Budget takes its responsibilities to strengthening Medicare very seriously. We created Medicare, we believe in it, we’re strengthening it by investing in bulk billing in record ways in tonight’s Budget.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer the full extent of Donald Trump’s tariffs won’t be known until April 2, to what extent have you been able to tuck measures away just in case. We won’t necessarily see announced today but are there in response if necessary?

    Chalmers:

    We’re not uniquely impacted by policy developments out of Washington D.C. but we’ve got a lot of skin in the game because we’re a trade exposed economy. And so we will continue to engage with the Americans, we’ll continue to stand up and speak for our interests. Our best defence against this global economic uncertainty is a more resilient, more competitive, more productive economy. And you’ll see that that is a major feature of tonight’s Budget.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, it wasn’t anticipated that you would be handing down this budget were it not for a natural disaster we probably would be in a campaign by now. So, is this an election winning budget or an election losing budget?

    Chalmers:

    First of all, there are a series of assumptions in your question, Chloe, which I’m not necessarily going to come at. I’m really pleased that we get this opportunity, this rare opportunity, but welcome one, to hand down 4 budgets in a single parliamentary term – it hasn’t happened since the 1940s. But from my point of view, it’s a very welcome opportunity to put the economy front and centre on the eve of an election. This is not a budget for the election, it’s a budget to build Australia’s future.

    But we want the economy to be front and centre. Our political opponents have spent all of their time trying to dismiss and diminish the progress that Australians have made together in our economy and none of their time coming clean on what their secret cuts will mean for Medicare, for the progress we’ve made together or that they will make people worse off. So, this is their big opportunity this week. We do expect the economy to be central to the election campaign and I think that’s a very good thing.

    Journalist:

    How does it feel to be returning to deficits tonight, if your last 2 were surpluses?

    Chalmers:

    When we came to office they were all deficits and we turned 2 of those into Labor surpluses. And because we did that, we have made a meaningful difference to debt. We’ve got $177 billion of Liberal debt down this year, saving Australians tens of billions of dollars in debt interest. So, we’ve delivered 2 surpluses in the first 2 years.

    We’ve shrunk the deficit this year and we’re managing the economy and the budget in the most responsible way we can, given all of these pressures on people and coming at us from around the world. So the responsible economic management that we have made a hallmark, a defining feature of this government, would be unrecognisable to our predecessors. When we came to office, they were all deficits. We turned 2 of them into surpluses and we’ve shrunk the deficit this year as well.

    Journalist:

    On Medicare Treasurer, you said the election would be a referendum on Medicare. Does it not blunt your attack a little bit that the Opposition has already matched the cheaper medicines policy, they’ve matched the bulk billing, the $8.5 billion?

    Chalmers:

    We remember what Peter Dutton did when he was the Health Minister. He said before the election he was all for Medicare, and then after the election he tried to gut it. He tried to impose a GP tax and undermine universal Medicare in this country, which is one of the most important things we have going for us. The election will be a referendum on Medicare and the Budget will be about strengthening it. Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor have both said in different ways over the course of the last week or 2 that the best predictor of future performance is past performance.

    That’s a pretty chilling admission from Dutton and Taylor because last time Dutton was the Health Minister, he went after Medicare and undermined it. He cut tens of billions of dollars out of health and so that’s the risk here. The reason they haven’t come clean on their secret cuts is because Peter Dutton’s secret cuts would interrupt the progress we’re making in the economy and make people worse off. And where that will be most consequential will be Medicare.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, will taxes be higher or lower as a result of your budget?

    Chalmers:

    You’ll see tonight all of the figures when it comes to, for example, tax‑to‑GDP and the like. You see a lot of speculation before budgets. Not all of it is right. For example, one commentator was saying he expects this year tax‑to‑GDP to go up. You’ll see tonight the tax‑to‑GDP goes down in 24–25. You see predictions about gross debt this year not being correct.

    And so I encourage you to pore over the numbers in the Budget tonight. What you will see is the impact of the tax cuts that are already flowing in the economy are helping to make sure that more Australians are working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn. That’s really the defining purpose of this government, in addition to strengthening Medicare. We’re managing the Budget in the most responsible way we can in the face of these external shocks. Tonight, you will see a Budget which is all about helping with the cost of living, strengthening Medicare and building Australia’s future.

    I’ll see you later on. Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Stephen Cenatiempo, 2CC

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Cenatiempo:

    Let’s talk federal politics with the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, and the Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh. Good morning.

    Leigh:

    Good morning Stephen. Happy Budget day!

    Cenatiempo:

    Well look, I’ve got to say I hate Budget week Andrew, but I thank you anyway, I want to ask you something – your role as Assistant Minister for Treasury. What does that mean? How does that tie into the overall Treasury, Treasurer, finance portfolio, et cetera.

    Leigh:

    I’m part of the Treasury economics team, and I have particular responsibility for the issues of competition, multinational tax, for the Mint and for the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

    Cenatiempo:

    Okay. Now the Budget will be handed down tonight. Now pox on both your houses. I mean, this is going to be a cash splash which all budgets leading into elections are, and the Opposition has basically said they will match every dollar. Isn’t it time for some responsible economic management rather than just throwing cash around that we don’t have?

    Leigh:

    Well Stephen, in less than 3 years we’ve reduced Liberal Party debt by $177 billion.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well, it’s not Liberal Party debt. Stop saying that. But okay, you say you’ve reduced debt. Okay.

    Leigh:

    This is compared to what they were forecasting in their last budget and what we’ve achieved. We turned 2 big Liberal deficits into 2 Labor surpluses. We shrunk this year’s deficit. We have made huge reprioritisations and savings. Some $95 billion of reprioritisation savings over the last term.

    Cenatiempo:

    The vast majority of that turnaround has been receipts that the government wasn’t anticipating, so you can’t take credit for that?

    Leigh:

    Well, the reprioritisations and savings are government decisions, and that $95 billion compares to zero in the Liberals’ last budget. So we’ve made tough decisions, and some of that has involved curtailing the use of consultants and contractors, which Canberrans will know is a much more expensive way of doing things. We had that shadow public service workforce of 50,000, rather than having properly trained public servants doing their jobs. We’ve managed to get down the wait times for Veterans Affairs, and we’ve managed to ensure that we have the public service as a steward of the nation’s finances.

    Cenatiempo:

    Yeah, I’m sure that resonates here in Canberra, but I don’t know that it resonates in the rest of the country Andrew. But I want to talk about this latest cash splash, an extension of $150 of this energy rebate. There has been no attempt from the government to actually fix the underlying problem, and that is the cost of electricity. All you’re doing is giving us our own money back to pay electricity bills that you’ve made higher.

    Leigh:

    Well, I think Canberrans know the benefits of having renewable energy, given that we’re 100 per cent renewable energy.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well, we’re not. That’s again, again that’s another lie but anyway. I’m not saying you’re perpetrating that lie, because it’s something that we just tend to throw around when we know it’s not true.

    Leigh:

    Stephen, it is a fact that the ACT is 100 per cent renewable energy.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well hang on, hang on Andrew. Andrew, no, no, I’m going to stop you there because I hate it when people say this. We produce 5 per cent of our own electricity. Ninety-five per cent comes from across the border, and of that 95 per cent somewhere between 70 per cent and 80 per cent is made from fossil fuels. We do not have 100 per cent renewable electricity in Canberra, full stop.

    Leigh:

    We have always relied on electricity from New South Wales. We choose now to draw it from renewable sources in New South Wales and the ACT.

    Cenatiempo:

    You can’t make that determination. You just, that’s just something you say.

    Leigh:

    No, this a fact. And what that meant was when you had the overseas crisis which drove up gas prices, the ACT wasn’t affected by that in the way that other jurisdictions were.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well, my electricity bills going up.

    Leigh:

    By moving to renewable energy, we’re able to make ourselves less dependent on global crises. Alongside the renewable energy rollout, we’re delivering energy bill relief. This energy bill relief will continue for another half a year, and Canberrans will see it taken directly off their bill.

    Cenatiempo:

    But Andrew, this is the point. It’s not energy bill relief. The energy bills are still what they are, and they’re still rising. You’re just giving us back our own money to cut a little bit off the top.

    Leigh:

    Well, what people are going to see very clearly Stephen, is that $150 in rebates automatically applied to their energy bills in quarterly instalments. I think that’s going to be pretty important for many Australians.

    Cenatiempo:

    Why should I subsidise your electricity bill by $150 Andrew?

    Leigh:

    Well, we’re not the only sources of revenue Stephen. One of the things the Albanese government has done is focused on multinational taxation, making sure multinationals pay their fair share. That is one of the sources of government revenue which goes into paying these energy bills.

    Cenatiempo:

    But my point is, you as a well‑paid public servant, don’t need the $150 – yet those Canberrans that desperately do need it are subsidising, to an extent, your $150.

    Leigh:

    Yeah, I mean we certainly looked at targeted ways of doing this. It turns out that the cost of targeting can be bigger than the benefits. In this case, flat energy bill relief provides a straightforward, simple way of doing things and ensures that every Australian is getting energy bill relief, just as every Australian income taxpayer got a tax cut last year.

    Cenatiempo:

    I just, you know it seems to me that you know when fiscal, economic management is the order of the day, all we’ve seen is the Prime Minister stand up for the last 2 weeks and promised to throw a billion dollars of this, billions of these, billions of that, billions of that. It’s like an Oprah Winfrey Show.

    Leigh:

    I guess what people aren’t seeing are those savings and reprioritisation that we talked about before. Those are demonstrated in our first 2 surpluses and in a much smaller deficit this year than the one we inherited. Those are the quiet decisions that have been made that underpin this Budget. The responsible economic management that we’ve put in place very careful reprioritisations and savings, infrastructure portfolio and public service and a whole range of other areas. Now we came into office after sports rorts, the car park rorts, with so much wasted. Waste and mismanagement under JobKeeper – $20 billion going to firms with rising revenue.

    Cenatiempo:

    And at the time, you supported all that but yeah.

    Leigh:

    I was a vociferous critic of the JobKeeper rorts and waste, saying very clearly that we shouldn’t have been giving JobKeeper to firms with rising revenue. $20 billion out the door through that one decision alone, I was very critical of the sports rorts, very critical the car park rorts. I’m on the record on most of those things while the former Morrison government was in office, and that’s what’s changed.

    Cenatiempo:

    But hang on. When you say rorts – you use the term rorts and I’m going to pull you up on this, because rorts means anything the other side does if we do it, it’s responsible. That’s the reality of it. So you know, you use these terms, and it’s just pure politicking Andrew. We’re not talking about reality.

    Leigh:

    We had an Auditor‑General report very clearly casting at the former government over sports rorts. A Minister resigned over that Stephen. This was a very clear rort. I don’t think rorts come much clearer than when a Minister says I’m stepping down because I’ve done the wrong thing. And the Auditor‑General says this is outrageous.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well, yeah. Okay, alright. I want to read something to you for a moment. This is from a report that’s been done by the Vice President of Crestview Strategy here in Australia in a pre‑budget reflection. She says ‘Framed as responsible relief, the package continues Labor’s patent of targeted subsidies and short‑term support. But there’s growing criticism that these handouts while politically popular, do little to address structural issues and may in fact worsen them. As AFR Editor‑at‑large, Michael Stutchbury put it – ‘This is a government that treats voters like mugs with short‑term cash splashes while ignoring long‑term fiscal consequences the promised $275 cut to household power bills from 2022 remains unmet, and this rebate looks more like a political band aid than an economic fix’. You can’t argue with any of that?

    Leigh:

    We certainly need to be doing both things Stephen. You need to be dealing with those immediate cost‑of‑living pressures and making investments in productivity in the future. The energy investments we talked about are a part of that, but also the investments in better infrastructure around competition. So, the supermarket report that came out last week…

    Cenatiempo:

    Yeah, which said there was no evidence of price gouging by the way.

    Leigh:

    …which said very clearly that there were patterns such as high‑low pricing, that margins had increased and that our supermarkets are among the most profitable in the world. It then made a series of recommendations…

    Cenatiempo:

    Do we want our supermarkets to not be profitable?

    Leigh:

    We do not need the most profitable supermarkets in the world. I don’t think we need those margins to be rising. They were some of the salient points that the ACCC was making, that the squeeze at the checkout was being matched by an increase in profit margins. And you talk about structural reform Stephen, some of the work we’ve done in competition really is about structural reform because competition is so fundamental to productivity growth which ultimately drives living standards growth. So we’ve had the biggest merger shake up in half a century. We’ve had a whole lot of careful work being done by the Competition Taskforce in order to produce a more dynamic and competitive economy.

    Cenatiempo:

    Well, some economists would disagree with you there Andrew, but is there anything in the Budget that’s going to come out tonight that we don’t already know about?

    Leigh:

    Absolutely, there’s always some exciting bits coming out in the Treasurer’s speech. So, everyone should be tuning in at 7.30 to hear Jim stand up and deliver his fourth Budget.

    Cenatiempo:

    Alright, we’ll be broadcasting that live here on 2CC. Andrew, next time we catch up I think we’ll officially be in an election campaign won’t we?

    Leigh:

    I think that’s likely, but the Prime Minister will make the decision.

    Cenatiempo:

    But I mean, he doesn’t have a choice anymore, does he? I mean he’s got to go. Well, I mean the 17th of May is the absolute latest he can go?

    Leigh:

    We’ll have a May election. The only question there is which Saturday in May it will be.

    Cenatiempo:

    Righto. Alright, well he’s got to call it sooner rather than later. Andrew, good to talk to you. We’ll catch up in a couple weeks.

    Leigh:

    Likewise, thanks Stephen.

    Cenatiempo:

    Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury, and the Member for Fenner.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Prairie Operating Co. Announces Pricing of Common Stock Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, March 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Prairie Operating Co. (“Prairie,” the “Company,” “we,” or “our”) (Nasdaq: PROP) announced today the pricing of an underwritten public offering of $38.5 million (the “Common Stock Offering”) of shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 (“Common Stock”) at a price to the public of $4.50 per share. The underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase up to an aggregate value of $5.8 million of additional shares of Common Stock.

    Net proceeds to Prairie from the sale of the $38.5 million of shares of its common stock, after the underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $35.4 million (or $40.8 million, if the underwriters exercise their option in full).

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Common Stock Offering, together with the net proceeds from its previously announced concurrent registered offering of 150,000 shares of new Series F Convertible Preferred Stock and certain warrants (the “Concurrent Preferred Stock Offering”), to fund a portion of the purchase price for the Company’s proposed acquisition of certain oil and gas assets from Bayswater Exploration and Production and certain of its affiliates (the “Bayswater Acquisition”). The Company intends to use any remaining net proceeds from the Common Stock Offering and the Concurrent Preferred Stock Offering, including any net proceeds from the underwriters’ exercise of their option to purchase additional shares, for other general corporate purposes, which may include advancing the Company’s development and drilling program, repayment of existing indebtedness or financing other potential acquisition opportunities.

    The Common Stock Offering is expected to close on March 26, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Citigroup is acting as lead book-running manager for the Common Stock Offering. KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Truist Securities, Inc., MUFG Securities Americas Inc., and Piper Sandler & Co. are also acting as joint book-running managers. Roth Capital Partners, Clear Street LLC, Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C., and Pickering Energy Partners are acting as co-managers.

    The Common Stock Offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on December 20, 2024. The preliminary prospectus supplement, and accompanying base prospectus, relating to the offering, and a final prospectus supplement, when available, will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement, and accompanying base prospectus, relating to the Common Stock Offering, and the final prospectus supplement, when available, may be obtained by sending a request to: Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, telephone: 1-800-831-9146; KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Attn: Equity Syndicate, 127 Public Square, 7th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114, telephone: 1-800-859-1783; Truist Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 3333 Peachtree Road NE, 9th floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, by telephone at (800) 685-4786, or by email at TruistSecurities.prospectus@Truist.com; MUFG Securities Americas Inc., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, New York 10020, telephone: 212-405-7440, email: ECM@us.sc.mufg.jp; Piper Sandler & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 800 Nicollet Mall, J12S03, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, by telephone at (800) 747-3924, or by email at prospectus@psc.com; or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the shares of Common Stock or any other securities, nor shall there be any sale of such shares of Common Stock or any other securities, in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Prairie

    Houston-based Prairie Operating Co. is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Company’s assets and operations are concentrated in the oil and liquids-rich regions of the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin, with a primary focus on the Niobrara and Codell formations. The Company is committed to the responsible development of its oil and natural gas resources and is focused on maximizing returns through consistent growth, capital discipline, and sustainable cash flow generation.

    For more information, visit www.prairieopco.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release, regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated reserves, revenues and income or losses, projected costs and capital expenditures, prospects, acquisition opportunities, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words “plan,” “may,” “endeavor,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are (or were when made) based on current expectations and assumptions about future events and are (or were when made) based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, for example, statements about: the Company’s ability to successfully finance and consummate the Bayswater Acquisition, including the risk that the Company may fail to complete the Bayswater Acquisition on the terms and timing currently contemplated or at all, fail to enter into the New Credit Agreement on expected terms and/or fail to realize the expected benefits of the Bayswater Acquisition; the Company’s financial performance following the Bayswater Acquisition; this public offering, the Concurrent Preferred Stock Offering, the timing thereof and the use of proceeds therefrom; estimates of the Company’s oil, natural gas and NGLs reserves; drilling prospects, inventories, projects and programs; estimates of future oil and natural gas production from our oil and gas assets, including estimates of any increases or decreases in production; the availability and adequacy of cash flow to meet the Company’s requirements; financial strategy, liquidity and capital required for the Company’s development program and other capital expenditures; the availability of additional capital for the Company’s operations; changes in the Company’s business and growth strategy, including the Company’s ability to successfully operate and expand its business; the Company’s integration of acquisitions, including the Bayswater Acquisition; changes or developments in applicable laws or regulations, including with respect to taxes; and actions taken or not taken by third-parties, including the Company’s contractors and competitors. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, our Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q filed with the SEC and our other filings with the SEC, all of which can be accessed on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company’s control. These risks include, but are not limited to: the Company’s and Bayswater’s ability to satisfy the conditions of the Bayswater Acquisition in a timely manner or at all, including the Company’s ability to successfully finance the Bayswater Acquisition; the Company’s ability to complete the Concurrent Preferred Stock Offering in a timely manner and on acceptable terms, if at all; the Company’s ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Bayswater Acquisition, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the Company’s ability to grow and manage growth profitably following the Bayswater Acquisition; the Company’s ability to fund its development and drilling plan; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected cash flow, production levels, drilling, operational efficiencies and other anticipated benefits within the expected time-frames, or at all, and to successfully integrate the Bayswater Assets, and/or any other assets or operations the Company has acquired or may acquire in the future with those of the Company; the Company’s integration of the Bayswater Assets with those of the Company may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the Company’s operating costs, customer loss and business disruption may be greater than expected following the Bayswater Acquisition or the public announcements of the Bayswater Acquisition; the Company’s ability to grow its operations, and to fund such operations, on the anticipated timeline or at all; uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and projecting future rates of production and the amount and timing of development expenditures; commodity price and cost volatility and inflation; the ability to maintain necessary permits and approvals to develop our assets; safety and environmental requirements that may subject the Company to unanticipated liabilities; changes in the regulations governing our business and operations, including the businesses and operations we have acquired or may acquire in the future, such as, but not limited to, those pertaining to the environment, our drilling program and the pricing of our future production; the Company’s success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, the Company’s officers, key employees or directors; general economic, financial, legal, political, and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; the risks related to the growth of the Company’s business; the effects of competition on the Company’s future business; and other factors detailed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the prospectus supplement and, accompanying base prospectus related to the offering and the periodic filings with the SEC. Reserve engineering is a process of estimating underground accumulations of oil, natural gas and NGLs that cannot be measured in an exact way. The accuracy of any reserve estimate depends on the quality of available data, the interpretation of such data and price and cost assumptions made by reserve engineers. In addition, the results of drilling, testing and production activities may justify upward or downward revisions of estimates that were made previously. If significant, such revisions would change the schedule of any further production and development drilling. Accordingly, reserve estimates may differ significantly from the quantities of oil, natural gas and NGLs that are ultimately recovered. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described herein or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual results and plans could differ materially from those express in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, in this press release, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on the Company’s behalf may issue.

    Contact: Investor Relations
    Wobbe Ploegsma
    info@prairieopco.com
    832.274.3449

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Wage theft is now a criminal offence in NZ – investigating it shouldn’t be left to the police

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Irene Nikoloudakis, PhD Candidate in Law, University of Adelaide

    Getty Images

    Being robbed is a horrible experience under any circumstances. But being robbed by your employer involves a unique betrayal of trust.

    So it was a sign of real progress when “wage theft” finally became a crime in New Zealand earlier this month with the passage of the Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Act.

    Heralded by trade unions and the Labour Party as a victory for workers, the new law makes it a criminal offence under the Crimes Act for an employer to intentionally (and without reasonable excuse) fail to pay workers what they’re entitled to.

    Wage theft can include deliberately underpaying wages or holiday pay, or making unlawful deductions from pay packets. The question now is how well the new law will be enforced.

    While there is little research on how widespread wage theft in New Zealand is, we do know it all too often affects temporary migrant workers and those in labour-intensive industries such as hospitality, construction and horticulture.

    But if, as seems likely, the police are tasked with investigating allegations of wage theft, the new law may struggle to be enforced effectively.

    Who investigates wage theft?

    Until the law change, wage theft was only addressed through the civil system, not the criminal courts. Underpaid employees could take an employer to court to recover what was owed – if they had the means to navigate what could be a complex process.

    It took an initiative by former Labour MP Ibrahim Omer – who as a refugee in New Zealand had experienced wage theft – to begin the reform process. He introduced a members’ bill to parliament in 2023 seeking to make wage theft a criminal offence.

    Under the new law, the maximum penalties for wage theft are the same as for general theft. For serious offences, this means employers can be imprisoned for stealing their workers’ pay.

    The trouble is, the law doesn’t state which government agency will be responsible for investigating such crimes. This is important because adequately enforcing the law is the whole point.

    A 2024 report by the Ministry of Justice had suggested investigative responsibility might sit with New Zealand’s workplace regulator, the Labour Inspectorate. This seemed a logical move.

    But when the legislation was being debated in parliament, it became clear MPs assumed enforcement responsibility would lie with police. Confirming the law change this month, Labour MP Camilla Bellich said:

    Theft is theft, and before this bill was law workers had to take up a civil case. Civil wage claims are difficult for any employee to initiate and often time consuming and expensive. Now workers can go to the police and report wage theft as a crime.

    Former Labour MP Ibrahim Omer’s experience of wage theft as a refugee inspired him to change the law.
    Getty Images

    How Australia does it

    On the face of it, the police might seem like the logical enforcement agency. They investigate crimes and play an important role in crime prevention. But wage theft isn’t an area they have dealt with before. And uncovering wage theft in practice is very difficult.

    First, those most at risk – such as migrant workers and young employees – are the least likely to report it, often for fear of the consequences or because they simply don’t know how to make a formal complaint.

    Secondly, bad employers are good at covering their tracks, leaving no paper trail or fudging the books.

    Without specialised knowledge or experience in these areas – as well as dealing with their existing resourcing challenges – the police will potentially struggle to uncover wage theft offending.

    A better model might be Australia’s criminal wage theft regime, which came into effect at the start of this year. Overall, it is tougher and more targeted than New Zealand’s.

    The Australian law applies hefty maximum penalties for wage theft offences – up to ten years’ imprisonment and monetary fines in the millions. Investigations are the responsibility of the national workplace regulator, the Fair Work Ombudsman.

    This makes sense, because it’s the Fair Work Ombudsman which has significant experience in uncovering breaches of national employment laws, not the police.

    Put the Labour Inspectorate in charge

    The equivalent enforcement agency in New Zealand is the Labour Inspectorate, whose entire remit is to uncover breaches of employment standards.

    The Labour Inspectorate, far more than the police, will understand the intricacies of wage theft, including which workers and industries are most vulnerable, and what methods dodgy employers use to hide wage theft.

    If necessary, the inspectorate’s powers and resources could be reviewed and modified to ensure it has the tools to conduct criminal investigations, including the ability to search and seize evidence.

    Finally, empowering an agency with the right tools, knowledge and experience to investigate wage theft would leave the police to deal with the other serious crimes already demanding their attention.

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

    – ref. Wage theft is now a criminal offence in NZ – investigating it shouldn’t be left to the police – https://theconversation.com/wage-theft-is-now-a-criminal-offence-in-nz-investigating-it-shouldnt-be-left-to-the-police-252712

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: PNG ‘test ban’ blocks Facebook – governor Bird warns of tyranny risk

    By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent

    The Papua New Guinea government has admitted to using a technology that it says was “successfully tested” to block social media platforms, particularly Facebook, for much of the day yesterday.

    Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr said the “test” was done under the framework of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2024, and sought to address the growing concerns over hate speech, misinformation, and other harmful content online.

    Tsiamalili did not specify what kind of tech was used, but said it was carried out in collaboration with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC), the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA), and various internet service providers.

    “We are not attempting to suppress free speech or restrict our citizens from expressing their viewpoints,” Tsiamalili said.

    “However, the unchecked proliferation of fake news, hate speech, pornography, child exploitation, and incitement to violence on platforms such as Facebook is unacceptable.

    “These challenges increasingly threaten the safety, dignity, and well-being of our populace.”

    However, government agencies responsible for communications and ICT, including NICTA, said they were not aware.

    ‘Confidence relies on transparency’
    “Public confidence in our digital governance relies on transparency and consistency in how we approach online regulation,” NICTA chief executive Kilakupa Gulo-Vui said.

    “It is essential that all key stakeholders, including NICTA, law enforcement, telecommunications providers, and government agencies, collaborate closely to ensure that any actions taken are well-understood and properly executed.”

    He said that while maintaining national security was a priority, the balance between safety and digital freedom must be carefully managed.

    Gulo-Vui said NICTA would be addressing this matter with the Minister for ICT to ensure NICTA’s role continued to align with the government’s broader policy objectives, while fostering a cohesive and united approach to digital regulation.

    The Department of Information Communication and Technology (DICT) Secretary, Steven Matainaho, also stated his department was not aware of the test but added that the police have powers under the new domestic terrorism laws.

    Papua New Guinea’s recently introduced anti-terror laws are aimed at curbing both internal and external security threats.

    Critics warn of dictatorial control
    However, critics of the move say the test borders on dictatorial control.

    An observer of Monday’s events, Lucas Kiap, said the goal of combating hate speech and exploitation was commendable, but the approach risks paving way for authoritarian overreach.

    “Where is PNG headed? If the government continues down this path, it risks trading democracy for control,” he said.

    Many social media users, however, appeared to outdo the government, with many downloading and sharing Virtual Area Network (VPN) apps and continuing to post on Facebook.

    “Hello from Poland,” one user said.

    East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said today that the country’s anti-terrorism law could target anyone because “the definition of a terrorist is left to the Police Minister to decide”.

    ‘Designed to take away our freedoms’
    “During the debate on the anti-terrorism bill in Parliament, I pointed out that the law was too broad and it could be used against innocent people,” he wrote on Facebook.

    He said government MPs laughed at him and used their numbers to pass the bill.

    “Yesterday, the Police Minister used the Anti-terrorism Act to shut down Facebook. That was just a test, that was step one,” Governor Bird said.

    “There is no limit to the powers the Minister of Police can exercise under this new law. It is draconian law designed to take away our freedoms.

    “We are now heading into dangerous territory and everyone is powerless to stop this tyranny,” he added.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – 60% of women MPs from Asia-Pacific report online gender-based violence – IPU

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    Geneva, Switzerland – A major new study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), has exposed the pervasive nature of sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments across the Asia-Pacific region.

    The report, Sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments in the Asia-Pacific region, is based on confidential interviews with 150 women parliamentarians and parliamentary staff from 33 countries.

    The study highlights the alarming increase in online gender-based violence compared to the rates reported in previous IPU studies.

    60% of women parliamentarians surveyed for the current study have been targeted by hate speech, disinformation, image-based abuse, or unwanted disclosure of personal data (doxing) online. This is the highest rate for this type of abuse compared to other IPU regional studies.

     

    The study also reveals the following findings:

    76% of women parliamentarians and 63% of parliamentary staff have experienced psychological violence.
    Sexual violence is also prevalent, with 25% of women parliamentarians and 36% of parliamentary staff reporting such incidents.
    Economic violence or damage to women’s belongings has affected 24% of women parliamentarians and 27% of parliamentary staff, while physical violence was reported by 13% and 5% respectively.

     

    Some women more at risk than others

    According to the study, certain groups – women under 40, women from minority backgrounds and unmarried women – face disproportionately higher rates of violence.

    Opposition women MPs also report higher rates of psychological and sexual violence.

     

    Parliament is the primary site of harassment

    More than half the incidents of sexual harassment against women MPs took place on parliamentary premises and were committed by male parliamentarians.

    However, for the women MPs in the study, 85% of cases of online attacks, 59% of threats and 45% of psychological harassment come from the public.

     

    Positive steps forward

    Several parliaments in the region have begun taking steps to prevent and respond to such actions, including introducing confidential reporting mechanisms and support services. This is the case, for example, in Australia, Fiji, India, Maldives, Philippines, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

     

    Regional comparison reveals similar rates of violence across the world

    This new study follows previous IPU reports, starting in 2016 with a global study, followed by a 2018 report on European parliaments and a 2021 report on African parliaments.

     

    Prevalence of violence among women MPs in the three regional surveys:

     

     

    Asia-Pacific (2025)

    Africa (2021)

    Europe (2018)

    Psychological violence

    76%

    80%

    85%

    Sexual violence

    25%

    39%

    25%

    Physical violence

    13%

    23%

    15%

    Economic violence

    24%

    29%

    14%

     

    Quotes

    Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General said: “Violence and sexism against women in politics is a direct assault on democracy itself. The courageous women who have come forward to denounce abuse deserve our unwavering support. Parliaments must be sanctuaries for healthy debate and law-making. We have the tools to support them. It is our responsibility to foster a political climate where women can thrive without the shadow of violence.”

    Stephen Twigg, CPA Secretary-General said: “Sexism, violence and harassment against women in politics have a negative impact on the lives of women Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, their families and communities. Parliaments have a duty to show leadership and set an exemplary standard for society. We are determined to work together to empower Parliaments by providing relevant resources to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of gender-based violence.”

     Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, AIPA Secretary General said: “Violence against women in politics remains a significant barrier to their full and meaningful participation, affecting the inclusivity of governance. Addressing these challenges requires proactive measures from political institutions to foster a safe and supportive environment where women can engage without fear or constraint. Creating an enabling and secure space for women in politics is not just about fairness—it requires a shared commitment, not only within parliaments but also across political institutions, to build more inclusive and forward-looking governance that benefits society as a whole.”

    About the IPU

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    About the CPA

    The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments at national, state, provincial and territorial level working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network within the CPA represents over 6,000 Women Parliamentarians and campaigns to increase the number of women elected representatives in Legislatures and helps Parliaments to become gender-sensitive institutions.

    For more information about the CPA and CWP please visit www.cpahq.org

    About the AIPA

    The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is the sole parliamentary organisation associated to the Association of the Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). AIPA currently consists of 10 Member Parliaments from ASEAN Member States and 25 Observer Parliaments from national and supranational parliament around the globe. Established in 1977, AIPA aims to promote inter-parliamentary cooperation among ASEAN Member States, other parliaments and parliamentary organisations and to facilitate the achievement of the goals of ASEAN.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Restored Grand Canal celebrated on World Water Day

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Cleaners collect garbage on the Hanjiang River, a major source of water for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, in Shiyan city, Hubei province, on March 21, 2025. [Photo/China Daily]
    China has made remarkable progress in rejuvenating its waterways as it endeavors to uphold “river ethics”, seeking to safeguard the rights of rivers for sustainable existence.
    The latest progress was shared at the 2025 World Water Day Open Day in Beijing’s Tongzhou district on Saturday, where the northernmost section of the famed Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is located.
    Addressing the event, Peng Jing, president of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, said the theme of this year’s event was about celebrating the living heritage of artificial waterways such as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
    The canal is the world’s longest and oldest artificial waterway that is still in use today. But due to reasons such as changes in river course and poor maintenance, this ancient waterway that once connected five major rivers has been disconnected for the past century.
    In 2022, the Chinese government launched an initiative to bring life back to the more than 1,700-kilometer Grand Canal with water from the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
    Over the years, the project has transferred billions of cubic meters of water from the south to supplement the dry and populous north. Thanks to the diversion, water systems in the north can recover from overuse, people have better quality water to drink and from 2022 on the disconnected canal has resumed full flow, Peng said.
    It’s encouraging to see the modern artificial waterway support the ancient canal, which dates back nearly 2,500 years, and revitalize natural rivers and people who depend on them, she said. It demonstrates the co-dependent relationship between humans and water.
    “I believe the story of the Grand Canal proves one simple thing: That harmony between humans and water is achievable. By protecting, passing on and harnessing the flowing legacies, humans are given a chance to survive our current crises and grow further,” she noted.
    Li Haihong, who heads IWHR’s technical team for the river ethics program, said that the resumption of full flow in the once disconnected sections of the Grand Canal is an example demonstrating China’s commitment to the practice of river ethics. “River crises occur because humans have emphasized their rights during development while neglecting their duties, leaving the rights of rivers unprotected. Constructing river ethics is about strengthening human responsibilities and duties and protecting the rights of rivers,” she said.
    Li said the canal used to play a vital role in promoting the economic and cultural development and exchanges between the country’s north and south, and people and the canal once lived in harmony.
    Since 1855, however, the northern section of the canal had ceased to flow, making it lose its vitality, she said.
    Since 2022, more than 800 million cubic meters of water has been diverted to the canal, restoring its vitality. Over 300 million cubic meters of water has been diverted to irrigate more than 53,300 hectares of farmland along the canal, replenishing the groundwater.
    Li noted the Xiliao River in Northeast China, which is the only major river among China’s seven largest rivers with an interrupted flow, as another example demonstrating China’s commitment to river ethics.
    Thanks to a 2020 initiative to supplement rain water and floodwater into it, the watercourse has had water in its trunk for the last five years, she said.
    According to a recent release from the ministry, its efforts to supplement water in the Yongding River, which dried up in 1996, has also significantly rejuvenated the mother river of Beijing. The river has seen water flow continuously along its entire length for five straight years since 2021, it noted.
    River ethics were included in one of four initiatives proposed by China’s Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying in March 2023 during the 10th United Nations Water Conference. “We should respect the right of rivers to survive in nature, treat water as a living entity, develop river ethics, protect river health and achieve a harmonious coexistence between humans and rivers,” he said.
    The minister has been advocating for river ethics at least since 2009 when he headed the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, an affiliate of the ministry that oversees the management of the Yellow River, China’s mother river.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s fiscal revenue down 1.6 pct in first two months

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s fiscal revenue dipped 1.6 percent year on year to nearly 4.39 trillion yuan (about 611.59 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of the year, according to data from the Ministry of Finance released on Monday.

    The central government collected nearly 1.95 trillion yuan in fiscal revenue, down 5.8 percent year on year, while local governments collected nearly 2.44 trillion yuan, up 2 percent year on year.

    China’s fiscal expenditure expanded by 3.4 percent year on year to nearly 4.51 trillion yuan in the first two months. The central government’s fiscal expenditure rose by 8.6 percent year on year, while there was a 2.7 percent increase in expenditure by local governments during the same period.

    In breakdown, education expenditure hit 737.7 billion yuan, up 7.7 percent year on year, science and technology expenditure exceeded 112.2 billion yuan, a 10.6 percent year-on-year increase, and expenditure on social security and employment hit 854 billion yuan, up 6.7 percent year on year. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s top legislator holds talks with Italy’s Senate president

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Italy’s Senate President Ignazio La Russa in Beijing, capital of China, March 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Zhao Leji, China’s top legislator, held talks with Italy’s Senate President Ignazio La Russa in Beijing on Monday.

    Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, said that key to the healthy and steady development of China-Italy relations is the commitment of both sides to mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and pursuing win-win cooperation.

    China appreciates Italy’s adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to tap into cooperation potential in shipbuilding, aerospace and new energy, Zhao said, adding that cooperation in the fields of culture, art, tourism and education should also be strengthened.

    He called for increased exchange between the NPC and Italy’s parliament within bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

    He said China is ready to work with the EU to use the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to promote the sustained, steady and sound development of China-EU relations, and hopes Italy will continue to play a positive role in this regard.

    He said companies from all over the world, including those from Italy, are welcome to seize cooperation opportunities in and grow alongside the Chinese economy.

    La Russa said that Italy and China can work together to make new contributions to world peace and stability. Italy hopes to expand cooperation in the fields of the economy, trade, science, technology and culture to promote the continuous development of bilateral relations and the sound, steady development of EU-China relations.

    He added that Italy’s Senate is willing to take on closer exchanges with China’s NPC. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Guidebook on Machine Learning Techniques for Road Quality Monitoring

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Resilient all-weather roads enable crucial access to services and economic opportunities, yet assessing and monitoring road quality can be costly and time-consuming. This publication explains how smartphones, open-source satellite imagery, and artificial intelligence can be used to augment traditional surveys to improve road data in cost-effective and efficient ways. It draws on a study developed in collaboration with the World Data Lab and the governments of the Philippines and Thailand, supported by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ICC showed its might by arresting Rodrigo Duterte. Its reputation will take longer to fix

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in International Law, Curtin University

    Only five days after the arrest warrant against former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was issued, he was apprehended and immediately put on a plane to The Hague to face charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    The prompt action – and the fact he is the first former Asian head of state before the ICC – have been heralded as “a pivotal moment for the court”.

    While this is a rare success story in the court’s tumultuous history, many challenges remain. The successful arrest of one defendant will unfortunately do little to change negative perceptions of the court or remove the many obstacles it faces in prosecuting cases.

    A long history of criticism

    The ICC was conceived as a “court of last resort” in 1998 under the Rome Statute, the treaty that established it. The aim was to try individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression in cases where a state’s domestic courts refuse or are unable to do so.

    Shortly after it began its work in 2002, however, the ICC faced criticism for its perceived focus on Africa.

    In more recent years, it has also been criticised for its limited effectiveness, its perceived hypocrisy, and a lack of support from major powers, such as the US, China and Russia, which are not members.

    The court has long faced a public relations crisis it may never be able to resolve. When it does not investigate a potential case, it is said to be ineffective. And when it does initiate investigations, it is often said to be biased or acting beyond its capabilities.

    Putin and Netanyahu

    Currently, the ICC has 12 ongoing investigations, mostly in Africa and Asia. It has issued 56 arrest warrants, half of which have yet to be executed.

    As the focus of the court is limited to those who bear the greatest responsibility for international crimes, the cases frequently involve high-profile individuals.

    Current arrest warrants, for example, have been issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges of allegedly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

    These two cases have been among the court’s most controversial. Critics say the ICC lacks jurisdiction because:

    • the alleged crimes did not occur in their own states
    • their states are not parties to the Rome Statute
    • the UN Security Council did not refer these cases to the ICC for investigation.

    Others have accused the court of selective prosecution and bias for pursuing a case against Netanyahu, specifically, instead of prioritising cases in states run by dictators, such as Syria.

    And some complain the court should be focusing on crimes allegedly committed by Western leaders in places like Iraq.

    Indicting leaders of states raises additional legal challenges. International law dictates that heads of state enjoy immunity in other states’ courts – unless this immunity is expressly waived by their own governments.

    The ICC defends its actions as fair. It argues it does have jurisdiction in the cases against Putin and Netanyahu because the alleged crimes took place in Ukraine and Palestine, two states who have explicitly accepted its jurisdiction.

    And Article 27 of the Rome Statute says the ICC can exercise jurisdiction over people with state immunity, although it’s debatable whether this must be first waived for leaders of states not party to the Rome Statute.

    Cooperation remains key

    The ICC is not only constrained by these complex legal questions, but also by the limited cooperation of states around the world.

    It relies on close cooperation with its 125 state parties, among others. But some states have been reluctant or even refused to cooperate with the court in executing the arrest warrants of controversial figures.

    For example, Putin was not arrested when he visited Mongolia, an ICC member, last year, in part, because Mongolia relies heavily on Russian energy. South Africa similarly refused to arrest Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir when he visited in 2015.

    Even when state parties do cooperate, the political fallout can impact the court’s reputation.

    Following Duterte’s arrest last week, a Filipino senator (the sister of the current president) launched an urgent investigation to ensure due process was followed and Duterte’s legal rights were upheld and protected. She acknowledged the arrest has “has deeply divided the nation”.

    The lack of support from the US – arguably, still the world’s most powerful democracy – remains a perennial problem, as well.

    While the US has generally supported the court’s mandate over the years, it has been wary of its jurisdiction over American citizens and those of its allies accused of crimes. Last month, President Donald Trump authorised new sanctions against ICC officials in an attempt to paralyse the international organisation.

    Although 79 states did declare their support for the ICC following the sanctions, the Trump adminstration’s rejection of the court’s jurisdiction, legitimacy and authority has had significant consequences for its operations.

    It remains to be seen how the case against Duterte will play out. Securing a conviction is not assured.

    However, his arrest demonstrates the court can fulfil its mandate and remain a relevant force in the fight against the gravest of crimes. It is also a significant moment for the families of those killed during Duterte’s rule, who have long sought justice for their loved ones.

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

    – ref. The ICC showed its might by arresting Rodrigo Duterte. Its reputation will take longer to fix – https://theconversation.com/the-icc-showed-its-might-by-arresting-rodrigo-duterte-its-reputation-will-take-longer-to-fix-252509

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Peters, Senate Committee Ranking Members in Demanding Immediate Review by Agency Inspectors General of Trump Administration’s Mass Dismissals of Federal Employees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Senators Question Trump Administration Claims and Whether Actions Will Increase Waste and Abuse

    Washington (March 21, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee joined Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and 15 Senate Committee Ranking Members in sending a letter to the Inspectors General of 23 federal agencies, pressing for details on the impact of President Trump’s sweeping and unprecedented dismissal of tens of thousands of federal employees. The senators asked the Inspectors General to review the Trump Administration’s actions, citing potential violations of federal laws and procedures, which the senators warn could harm Americans’ access to vital government services and increase waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars.
    “The decision to terminate thousands of employees across multiple federal agencies will impose undue hardship on millions of Americans who rely on their services,” wrote the Senators. “The loss of experienced agency staff may risk causing serious disruptions to nearly 73 million Americans who rely on the Social Security Administration (SSA) to administer retiree and disability benefits and 9.1 million veterans who depend on the Department of Veteran Affairs (V.A.), many of which rely on the V.A. for life saving medical treatments and care.”  
    Highlighting the devastating consequences of these mass firings, the senators underscored the Trump Administration’s layoffs have already disrupted critical operations at agencies that millions of Americans depend on for survival. 
    “Among the 2,400 employees fired from the V.A. since Mr. Trump’s inauguration are workers who purchase medical supplies, schedule appointments and arrange rides for patients to see their doctors,” wrote the Senators, citing a NY Times report. “Additionally, taxpayers seeking in-person assistance as they navigate the 2025 filing season may find the support centers they previously relied on completely relocated or shuttered. That risk is a direct consequence of the Administration’s mass dismissals and decision to terminate over 100 IRS offices with Tax Assistance Centers (TAC) – which provide free, in-person assistance for those seeking it.”
    The senators are requesting that IGs examine whether these dismissals violated agency policies and assess the damage to agency missions, public safety, and national security, calling for an initial review to be completed within 60 days, with findings made available to the public to ensure transparency and accountability.  
    The letter was signed by U.S. Senators and Ranking Members Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Special Committee on Aging, Patty Murray (D-WA), Committee on Appropriations, Jack Reed (D-RI), Committee on Armed Services, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Committee on Environment and Public Works, Ron Wyden (D-OR), Committee on Finance, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Committee on Foreign Relations, Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Committee on the Judiciary, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Committee on the Budget.
    The full text of the letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign brands benefit from China’s consumption stimulus

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

    SHANGHAI, March 25 — As millions of Chinese consumers trade in their devices for the latest models ranging from electric vehicles to home appliances, the rising consumer spending has benefited both Chinese and foreign brands.

    China kicked off large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs in March 2024, and revamped these programs earlier this year, amid efforts to boost domestic demand and spur economic growth.

    Prominent foreign brand, Tesla, has benefited from such programs in the sale of its revised Model Y.

    Earlier this month, on the first day of deliveries of the revised Model Y in east China’s Shanghai, more than 500 new vehicles were handed over to buyers, many of whom took advantage of China’s trade-in scheme.

    A resident in Shanghai surnamed Zhang, mentioned that by trading in his old gasoline car and taking advantage of consumption subsidies, he was able to purchase a revised Model Y for about 200,000 yuan (approximately 27,863 U.S. dollars). “The incentives from these subsidy programs are quite significant, which motivated me to place the order,” he said.

    Subsidies vary from place to place. In Guangdong Province in south China, for instance, consumers who buy new energy vehicles can receive subsidies of up to 20,000 yuan.

    Notably, apart from the government’s stimulus policy, Tesla has also taken steps to provide various car purchase incentives, including interest-free financing and insurance subsidy programs, to further lower costs for its customers.

    Foreign firms in the home appliance sector have also benefited from the government program. “The Chinese government’s consumption stimulus policies, including the trade-in program, have increased consumer spending. As a result, sales in Panasonic’s home appliance segment have grown,” Lin Yibin, managing officer of China & Northeast Asia Company of Panasonic Appliances (China) Co., Ltd, told Xinhua in an interview.

    Following the introduction of these policies, sales of Panasonic’s large home appliances from September to December last year, such as washing machines and refrigerators, especially in the offline market, have surpassed figures from the same period of 2023, Lin added.

    In early January this year, China announced a raft of measures to expand the scope of its consumer goods trade-in program. Under the expanded program, categories of home appliances eligible for government subsidies have been increased from eight in 2024 to 12 in 2025.

    “The revamped policy has sparked a surge in consumer spending on home appliances across the country. We are actively working with all parties to benefit from the new policy,” Lin noted.

    These subsidies have helped bring more coffee machines into Chinese homes. In places like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hubei Province, coffee machines have been added to the list of items eligible for subsidies. De’Longhi, an Italian coffee machine supplier, has benefited from this initiative.

    “Last year, we saw double-digit growth, and since January of this year, we’ve maintained an even higher double-digit growth rate — largely thanks to the consumption stimulus policies,” said Zong Yanping, managing director of De’Longhi Greater China, in an interview with Xinhua.

    “Unlike large home appliances, which have long been essential in Chinese households, coffee machines are still relatively new to many families. Therefore, the purchasing subsidies have been very helpful for us in terms of marketing,” Zong explained.

    Zong is optimistic about China’s market potential, as the consumption stimulus coincided with a shift in coffee-drinking habits in the country, noting that “what began as an occasional social activity has become a morning routine for many young people today.”

    China’s large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs have so far yielded fruitful results. In 2024, it drove equipment purchases and investment up by 15.7 percent — contributing 67.6 percent to overall investment growth while boosting sales of bulk durable consumer goods by over 1.3 trillion yuan last year, according to data released by the National Development and Reform Commission in February.

    Vowing to make domestic demand “the main engine and anchor of economic growth,” China’s policymakers during this year’s “two sessions” sent fresh and firm signals regarding empowering the country’s vast number of consumers to spend more confidently.

    Following the 2025 “two sessions,” China vowed to implement solid support measures to connect consumer spending to people’s well-being in the latest consumption-promotion plan. The plan outlines the issuance of ultra-long special treasury bonds totaling 300 billion yuan to bolster consumer goods trade-in programs in 2025 — doubling the 2024 figure.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Report calls for multi-agency approach to prevent domestic abuse deaths

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Findings from the Domestic Homicide Project released today reveal that 262 people died in England and Wales as a result of domestic abuse in the past year.

    The annual report tracks the scale and nature of domestic abuse-related deaths in quick-time, both from the previous year and across a four-year period, and is the only dataset of its kind in England and Wales.

    The findings and analysis were informed by families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse who continue to drive awareness and change across policing, government and partners. This year, specific research was also undertaken to examine deaths where someone had fallen from height in partnership with the Killed Women Network.

    Key findings:

    262 deaths were recorded between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024:

    •             98 suspected suicide following domestic abuse (SVSDA)
    •             80 intimate partner homicides (IPH)
    •             39 adult family homicides
    •            28 unexpected deaths
    •            11 child deaths
    •             6 ‘other’ (where the victim and suspect lived together, but were not related or intimate partners

    22 cases of deaths due to a fall from height were recorded across 13 forces during the four-year period, of those:

    • 36% were recorded as SVSDA, 27% unexpected deaths, 23% IPH and 14% AFH
    • Notably, three victims (14%) were pregnant at the time of their death
    • In 70% of cases the suspect was arrested

    For the second year in a row, suspected suicides following domestic abuse have overtaken the number of homicides involving current or previous partners. This reflects increased awareness and progress made against recommendations in the project’s last report, which focused on improving policing’s ability to better recognise and record the link between domestic abuse and suicide.

    Over four years (1 April 2020 – 31 March 2024), the number of people killed by their current or previous partner consistently represents around a third of domestic abuse-related deaths each year.

    Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, national policing lead for domestic abuse, said:

    “The sustained nature of domestic homicide shows how deeply ingrained violence against women and girls is in our communities.

    “The Domestic Homicide Project has now recorded over 1000 domestic abuse-related deaths across a four year period. The scale and impact is incomprehensible and as a society, we cannot delay action to prevent future deaths.”

    Multi-agency footprint

    The report demonstrates the need for a multi-agency response that spans the wider criminal justice system, healthcare and local authorities such as social services, to tackle domestic abuse and prevent future deaths, particularly suicides. In cases of SVSDA, nine in ten victims and/or prior domestic abuse perpetrators were known to partner agencies.

    Across the four-year dataset, the most commonly recorded risk factors in relation to the suspects were mental ill health, a history of coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB), alcohol use and drug misuse, representing a key opportunity to intercept perpetrators through healthcare, substance misuse and mental health services.

    Some of the risk factors were more prominent in certain types of deaths; for example, CCB was prominent in cases of IPH, SVSDA and unexpected deaths, whilst suspected mental ill health was particularly notable in cases of AFH.

    AC Rolfe continues: “The data reinforces the critical need for policing to work with other agencies to identify those at risk of being both a perpetrator or a victim of domestic abuse. A preventative approach is the only way to stop the widespread harm of domestic abuse in all its forms.”

    Recommendations and police response

    Police forces have made significant changes in relation to the recommendations made in last year’s Domestic Homicide Report, with most forces incorporating:

    • Specific training for officers to raise awareness of the link between domestic abuse (DA) and suicide. Review teams are proactively working to better identify cases of suicide with links to DA.
    • Updated unexpected death policies, there are explicit procedures to prompt officers to consider DA or CCB in unexpected deaths or suspected suicides and carry out system checks.
    • Growing number of cases of SVSDA submitted for Domestic Homicide Reviews and increasing rate of posthumous charges for domestic abuse offences, reflecting improved ability to identify these cases.

    AC Rolfe said: “We have a much better understanding of the complex nature of domestic abuse than ever before, but there is more for policing to do to ensure that every domestic-abuse related death is properly recognised, and where appropriate, adequately investigated.

    “54% of suspects of domestic homicide were previously known to police as perpetrators of domestic abuse, highlighting the importance of a prompt, robust police response from the outset of a report. That is why the broader police response to domestic abuse is focused on driving improvements and consistency in offender management and better protection for victims.”

    New protective orders with longer-term, more robust safety measures and quicker charging decisions for cases are currently being piloted in select forces, with the aim of better supporting victims through the criminal justice system.

    In addition, police forces are rolling out video technology to respond to non-urgent reports of domestic abuse, which has shown to increase arrest rates, secure quicker convictions and bring the response time down from 32 hours to an average of three minutes. Alongside this work, select police forces have also began piloting Raneem’s Law, embedding specially trained domestic abuse support in police contact rooms to get the right support to victims reporting domestic abuse.

    The recommendations from this year’s report focus on better information sharing and a more joined-up approach across policing, government and other agencies, including healthcare and mental health and substance misuse services, to better recognise and intercept domestic abuse, particularly in young people. Additional recommendations highlight the need to continue to strengthen policing and the wider criminal justice system’s approach to investigating and prosecuting in cases of SVSDA.

    AC Rolfe said: “We are incredibly grateful to the families of those bereaved by domestic abuse for sharing their insights with us, they continue to be a driving force in effecting change and preventing future deaths.”

    Julie Devey, Chair of Killed Women, said:

    ‘’Every life lost following domestic abuse leaves behind a family heartbroken. For too long, these deaths have been treated as ‘unavoidable tragedies’ – but they are not. They are preventable. Today’s important report reflects that too often perpetrators or victims are known to agencies, but they fail to act. We must ensure a system that joins the dots and intervenes before it’s too late. 

    “We also welcome the report findings which make clear what we have long said: women are dying in suspicious circumstances – for example from falls – or from suicide, where there is a history of domestic abuse, without adequate investigation. We welcome the recommendation which compels police, in all cases of unexpected deaths, to investigate the history of domestic abuse. If the government is serious about ending violence against women, these recommendations should be enforced.’’

    Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women & Girls, Jess Phillips said:

    “Every death related to domestic abuse is a life cut short and a devastating tragedy. The better we understand the links between domestic abuse and homicides, suicides and unexpected deaths, the better equipped we are to prevent them from happening in the first place. That’s why the government has funded this vital research to shine a light on the scale of the problem.

    “This report rightly demands coordinated action across government, police and partner agencies to tackle these issues head on – and we are already cracking on with work to put the voices of victims, their families and friends, and key stakeholders front and centre of this. Our upcoming violence against women and girls strategy will set out our ambition and concrete actions to strengthen our response to perpetrators and deliver on our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Nerve-wracking twists, remarkable stardom and jet-black comedy: the 5 best films of the 2025 French Film Festival

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide

    The Divine Sarah Bernhardt.
     Memento

    This year’s Alliance Française French Film Festival showcases a diverse selection of films from blockbusters and biopics to comedies and gripping thrillers for Australian audiences.

    I’ve written before about how this annual event, now in its 36th edition, is, in terms of tickets sold and films screened, the largest film festival dedicated to contemporary French cinema outside of France.

    The 2025 program once more shines a spotlight on the established icons and rising stars of French cinema.

    In the this year’s festival, 30% of the films are directed by women and thorny issues such as slavery, consent and caregiving are presented sensitively and provocatively.

    But from a competitive bunch, here are the best five films I saw this year.

    How To Make A Killing

    It’s Christmas in the Jura, France’s picturesque eastern region full of mountains, snow and pine trees. When Michel (Frank Dubosc) accidentally crashes his truck into a car, killing its driver and passenger, his wife Cathy (Laure Calamy) tells him he may have left fingerprints at the crime scene.

    They return – and discover two million euros in the car boot, and a loaded gun in the glove box.

    From this point on, How To Make A Killing features one improbable but amusingly nerve-wracking twist after another. There’s a local policeman in over his head and drug lords and contract killers who want their money back.

    Oh, and a black bear is on the loose.

    Writer-director Dubosc pays homage to the Coen brothers and sprinkles in a typically Gallic dose of black humour. What really gives the film zip and pizzazz is the fabulous Calamy. She has risen to the apex of contemporary French stardom and her performance is a delight.

    The Divine Sarah Bernhardt

    Sarah Bernhardt can lay claim to being the first film celebrity. Born in Paris in 1844, Bernhardt was first a legendary stage actress, performing Shakespeare and Racine across the world (including Melbourne and Sydney in 1891) before gravitating to silent cinema.

    Known for her extraordinary talent and intense stage presence (hence “divine”), she refused to play just female roles, famously playing Hamlet. Her eccentricity was equally renowned: she often travelled with an extensive menagerie of exotic pets.

    Guillaume Nicloux’s sumptuous biopic unfolds in a radical way. Rather than tracing Bernhardt’s career in the fairly bog-standard biopic way, Nicloux jumps around, focusing on key events from her life – the amputation of a leg, her death, her bisexuality, her hedonistic lifestyle.

    Through this bold achronological prism comes another daring choice: we never see Bernhardt act on stage or film. Her stardom emerges through the extraordinary effect she has on people who enter her orbit.

    At the centre is a remarkable performance by Sandrine Kiberlain. She captures Bernhardt’s glamour and narcissism but also taps into her vulnerability to reveal her gradual hollowing out as the vagaries of fame take their toll.

    It’s a cautionary tale that speaks to our current ambivalence towards stage-managed celebrity and “stardom at all costs”.

    My Brother’s Band

    Ever since its Cannes debut last May, Emmanuel Courcol’s My Brother’s Band has received rave reviews. It is sure to be an instant classic.

    Two brothers are separated at birth and are only reunited decades later when Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe) needs a bone marrow transplant. The only suitable donor is long-lost Jimmy (rising star Pierre Lottin).

    All that bonds the two is a shared love of music. Thibaut is an esteemed orchestra conductor while Jimmy plays the trombone in a local brass band.

    Lavernhe’s and Lottin’s scenes together are wonderfully wry and tender as the two brothers learn to appreciate each other’s lifestyles and ways of seeing the world. We also see how music can bind communities together during times of personal and collective crisis.

    Courcol shuttles between the stuffy, cathedral-like spaces of a Paris conservatorium and the cramped parish halls of northern France. Think Brassed Off meets Tár. My Brother’s Band brings the feel-good to the festival.

    When Fall is Coming

    When Fall is Coming, the latest work by prolific auteur François Ozon, is a broody family drama set in Burgundy.

    Behind the autumnal landscapes and off-the-beaten-track villages lies hidden trauma. Michelle (the outstanding Hélène Vincent, now 81) nervously awaits the arrival of her grandson and the daughter from whom she is long estranged (for reasons we don’t understand until much later).

    An innocuous first night meal turns to tragedy, and kickstarts a deeply engrossing, often menacing film. Pierre Lottin features again, this time as an ex-con slowly drawn into this unsettling web of secrets and lies.

    The “fall” in the title can be read any number of ways. Suffice to say, this slow-burner reminds us of Ozon’s knack in withholding plot points and revealing them gradually. With its blend of spiteful intimacy and startling revelations, When Fall is Coming quietly chills. You’ll not look at mushrooms in the same way again.

    Lucky Winners

    French filmgoers love to laugh. The top ten grossing French films in history are all comedies.

    Lucky Winners is a jet-black comedy about four different winners of France’s national lottery. Each becomes a millionaire overnight – but that’s when their troubles begin. Romain Choay and Maxime Govare’s witty film features a fine ensemble cast and a healthy dose of cruelty and squabbling.

    The dream sours. Money does not bring happiness, only guilt, revenge and greed. Feel-good quickly descends into feel-bad. I imagine Hollywood will be remaking this very soon.

    The Alliance Française French Film Festival is in cinemas around Australia on various dates until April 27.

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

    – ref. Nerve-wracking twists, remarkable stardom and jet-black comedy: the 5 best films of the 2025 French Film Festival – https://theconversation.com/nerve-wracking-twists-remarkable-stardom-and-jet-black-comedy-the-5-best-films-of-the-2025-french-film-festival-250153

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 25 March 2025 Joint News Release Decades of progress in reducing child deaths and stillbirths under threat, warns the United Nations

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The number of children dying globally before their fifth birthday declined to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths declined modestly, still remaining around 1.9 million, according to two new reports released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME).

    Since 2000, child deaths have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide. In 2022, the world reached a historic milestone when child deaths dropped slightly below 5 million for the first time. However, progress has slowed and too many children are still being lost to preventable causes.

    “Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen.”

    Decades of progress in child survival are now at risk as major donors have announced or indicated significant funding cuts to aid ahead. Reduced global funding for life-saving child survival programmes is causing health-care worker shortages, clinic closures, vaccination programme disruptions, and a lack of essential supplies, such as malaria treatments. These cuts are severely impacting regions in humanitarian crises, debt-stricken countries, and areas with already high child mortality rates. Global funding cuts could also undermine monitoring and tracking efforts, making it harder to reach the most vulnerable children, the Inter-agency Group warned.

    “From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “In the face of global funding cuts, there is a need more than ever to step up collaboration to protect and improve children’s health.”

    Even before the current funding crisis, the pace of progress on child survival had already slowed. Since 2015, the annual rate of reduction of under-five mortality has slowed by 42%, and stillbirth reduction has slowed by 53%, compared to 2000–2015.

    Almost half of under-five deaths happen within the first month of life, mostly due to premature birth and complications during labour. Beyond the newborn period, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea, are the leading causes of preventable child death. Meanwhile, 45% of late stillbirths occur during labour, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed labour, and lack of timely medical intervention.

    Better access to quality maternal, newborn, and child health care at all levels of the health system will save many more lives, according to the reports. This includes promotive and preventive care in communities, timely visits to health facilities and health professionals at birth, high-quality antenatal and postnatal care, well-child preventive care such as routine vaccinations and comprehensive nutrition programmes, diagnosis and treatment for common childhood illnesses, and specialized care for small and sick newborns.

    “Most preventable child deaths occur in low-income countries, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are often inaccessible”, said Juan Pablo Uribe, World Bank Global Director for Health and Director of the Global Financing Facility. “Investing in children’s health ensures their survival, education, and future contributions to the workforce. With strategic investments and strong political will, we can continue to reduce child mortality, unlocking economic growth and employment opportunities that benefit the entire world.”

    The reports also show that where a child is born greatly influences their chances of survival. The risk of death before age five is 80 times higher in the highest-mortality country than the lowest-mortality country, for example, while a child born in sub-Saharan Africa is on average 18 times more likely to die before turning five than one born in Australia and New Zealand. Within countries, the poorest children, those living in rural areas, and those with less-educated mothers face the higher risks.

    Stillbirth disparities are just as severe, with nearly 80% occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, where women are six to eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than women in Europe or North America. Meanwhile, women in low-income countries are eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than those in high-income countries.

    “Disparities in child mortality across and within nations remain one of the greatest challenges of our time,” said the UN DESA Under-Secretary-General, Li Junhua. “Reducing such differences is not just a moral imperative but also a fundamental step towards sustainable development and global equity. Every child deserves a fair chance at life, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind.”

    UN IGME members call on governments, donors, and partners across the private and public sectors to protect the hard-won gains in saving children’s lives and accelerate efforts. Increased investments, service integration, and innovations are urgently needed to scale up access to proven life-saving health, nutrition, and social protection services for children and pregnant mothers.    

    Notes to editors

    Download multimedia content here.

    The UN IGME child mortality report The UN IGME stillbirth report

    The two reports – Levels & Trends in Child Mortality and Counting Every Stillbirth – are the first of a series of important global data sets released in 2025. UN maternal mortality figures will be published in the coming weeks.

    About UN IGME

    The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation or UN IGME was formed in 2004 to share data on child mortality, improve methods for child mortality estimation, report on progress towards child survival goals and enhance the capacity of countries to produce timely and properly evaluated estimates of child mortality. UN IGME is led by UNICEF and includes the World Health Organization, the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

     For more information: 

    http://www.childmortality.org/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts San Diego Attorney of Securities Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – After a weeklong trial, San Diego-based securities attorney Andrew Coldicutt was convicted by a federal jury today on all 17 counts of securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud in connection with two pump-and-dump market-manipulation schemes.

    The jury deliberated for less than four hours and determined that Coldicutt used his expertise as an experienced securities lawyer to help clients – who were actually undercover FBI agents – create companies, take them public, release false information about the companies, manipulate the stock for a windfall and conceal their affiliation with those companies.

    In the first scheme, Coldicutt worked with others from 2017 through 2019 to prepare and execute a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt created a business plan for a fake backyard fruit harvesting company. He prepared and filed securities registration statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of the company’s stock. The securities registration statements contained false and misleading information about the company, its business plans, and the people who owned and controlled the company.

    In the second scheme, in 2019, one of Coldicutt’s corporate clients needed to raise money fast. Rather than raise money legally, Coldicutt presented the undercover FBI agents with another pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt wrote a false attorney opinion letter to facilitate the sale of stock for the pump-and-dump scheme.

    During the trial, the government presented multiple recordings connecting Coldicutt to the crimes, including inventing the business plan in the middle of a meeting with undercover FBI agents. Coldicutt was also recorded accepting $2,500 in cash as an advance on successfully completing the pump-and-dump scheme. Jurors were also presented with encrypted messages where Coldicutt coordinated the plans for the pump-and-dump with a cooperating source.

    According to testimony during the trial, the expected profit of the first pump-and-dump scheme was approximately $4.85 million, and Coldicutt’s share would be about $240,000. Since Coldicutt was actually working with undercover FBI agents and sources gathering evidence against him, no investors were injured.

    A “pump and dump” scheme is a type of fraud where manipulators gain control over a company’s stock and boost a company’s stock price by spreading false information or trading in a way that creates fake demand. Once the stock price is inflated, they sell off their shares (the “dump”), causing the price to drop and leaving investors with losses.

    “Securities attorneys and other professionals in the securities industry hold a critical position of trust and responsibility,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “When these individuals misuse their legal credentials to commit fraud, it is innocent investors who often bear the brunt of the harm. Thanks to the diligent work of FBI investigators and our prosecution team, we were able to expose the wrongdoing and deliver justice without any investors suffering financial loss. This outcome reflects the extraordinary efforts of all involved.”

    “Andrew Coldicutt engaged in a deliberate, unlawful and years long securities fraud scheme,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Attorneys are held to a higher standard of conduct and this case proves when an individual in a position of trust abuses their authority for unjust personal gain, the FBI will hold them accountable.”

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta.

    The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against Coldicutt.

    DEFENDANT                        Case Number 22cr1881                                       

    Andrew Coldicutt                    Age: 44                    San Diego, California

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77q, 77x – Securities Fraud

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison

    Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77g, 77x – False Securities Registration Statements

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison

    Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 – Wire Fraud

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to UKHSA’s new Priority Pathogens reference tool

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the UK Health Security Agency’s new Priority Pathogens reference tool for R&D funders.

    Prof Martin Hibberd, Professor of Emerging Infectious Disease, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said:

    “I am pleased to see a guidance description for pathogens in a UK context being released, and that it will be up-dated yearly. As mentioned in the report, these lists cannot be comprehensive and different perspectives are likely to lead to different conclusions, but it’s release is likely to lead to more widespread consultations and honing of the findings for next year. While all the pathogen families are important, the three identified as priorities (Covid-19; Nipah virus; and avian influenza) are not surprising and I expect perhaps a more detailed, UK specific, priority list next year.”

     

    Darius Hughes, UK General Manager at Moderna, said:

    “This important work directly supports Moderna’s strategic partnership with the UK Government to strengthen national pandemic preparedness. By aligning our scientific innovation with the UKHSA’s priority pathogen list, we can help accelerate the development of vaccines where they are most urgently needed. This ensures our joint efforts are focused, forward-looking, and capable of responding rapidly to emerging biological threats—ultimately supporting the UK’s ambition to lead in global health security and protect public health through sustained innovation and collaboration.”

     

    Prof Miles Carroll, Professor of Emerging Viruses, Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, said:

    “This new Priority Pathogen Families R&D Tool from UK Health Security Agency is aligned with similar prioritisation from the UK Vaccines Network and the World Health Organization, but with a UK focus for obvious reasons.

    “The new R&D Tool is consistent with existing evidence, which is helping guide funders, policymakers and scientists on the most urgent research gaps in epidemic and pandemic pathogen threats.  Tools like this are important if we are to develop effective diagnostics, vaccines and treatments to support the UK Biological Security strategy.”

    Prof Robert Read, Professor of Infectious Diseases, University of Southampton, and Editor in Chief, Journal of Infection, said:

    “Lists like this have been made for many years, and they represent an effort to prioritise infections for advisory and funding purposes, ostensibly to align research funding as closely as possible to public health need.  Unfortunately, pathogens emerge or change constantly, and it is difficult to predict big infectious disease problems coming down the line.  For this reason, I think this list is at best pointless, and at worst potentially harmful to the public health.

    “Pointless because the list of viruses is so long that its tricky to name a significant viral pathogen that has not been included.  Potentially harmful because a prescriptive list like this could misdirect funding towards certain infections, and away from problems that need urgently to be solved.  For example, the list of bacteria of concern includes Yersinia pestis (the cause of plague, a massive problem in 14th-18th Century Europe) for which there is now good available treatment and potential vaccine candidates, but does not include Bordetella pertussis (the cause of Whooping Cough) which caused serious problems for the public during 2024 because vaccines remain sub-optimal and antibiotic treatment only works during the early phase.”

    Prof Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and Director of the Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa, University of Edinburgh, said:

    “A key recommendation of the UK Covid Inquiry’s Interim Report for Module 1 (Preparedness) was that prior to 2020 the UK was overly focussed on the risk of an influenza pandemic.  When Covid arrived, it took too long to adjust our response to a different threat, which was part of the reason we ended up in lockdown.

    “Since the pandemic, there have been many initiatives to better understand the diversity of pandemic threats that the UK and the world may face in the coming years.  The UKHSA’s pathogen prioritization exercise is a welcome contribution to this global effort.

    “Of the highest priority pathogens identified by the UKHSA, no one could argue with the inclusion of coronaviruses and influenza viruses (the latter being members of the Orthomyxoviridae family).

    “The UKHSA are also right to be concerned about another family of viruses, the Paramyxoviridae.  This is a group that includes the measles virus, itself a continuing cause for concern with large outbreaks regularly reported from around the world.

    “A novel measles-like virus would pose a threat far worse than Covid.  Such a virus would have a much higher R number than the original variants of Covid – making it impossible to control by even the strictest lockdown.  It would also be considerably more deadly, and (unlike Covid) it would be a threat to children.  This is the kind of pandemic that public health agencies around the world are most concerned about.

    “That said, there are many potential kinds of novel pandemic threats – so-called Disease X – and the UKHSA report is a timely reminder that we should not put all our eggs in one basket.  The possibility of different kinds of threat – different transmission routes, different types of disease, different populations at risk – means that our response needs to be scalable, adaptable and quick.  Knowledge, information and data collected in the first few weeks of the next pandemic will be crucial to tailoring our response appropriately.  We need the systems to gather that data in place in advance and ready to be activated, possibly at very short notice.”

    ‘Priority pathogen families research and development (R&D) tool: A reference tool to help guide England-based funders of research and development’ was published by the UK Health Security Agency at 00:01 UK time on Tuesday 25 March 2025.

    Declared interests

    Prof Mark Woolhouse: “I am a consultant for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) and a member of the Scottish Committee for Pandemic Preparedness (SCoPP).”

    Prof Martin Hibberd: “I have no conflicts with this topic, but I do work on some of the pathogens listed and have been funded by Industry (most recently J&J) – amongst other government support, to work on them.”

    Prof Miles Carroll: “I consult for PicturaBio diagnostics. I am a member of the WHO R&D BluePrint Pathogen Prioritisation Committee, UKVN, APHA SAB and MRC/UVRI SAB.”

    Darius Hughes: In December 2023, Moderna entered a 10-year strategic partnership with the UK government to establish an mRNA research development and manufacturing facility in the UK. The strategic partnership is managed by the UK Health Security Agency on behalf of the UK government.

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Discusses Foreign Affairs, Trump Tariffs, Her Decision to Not Seek Reelection and More on WMUR’s CloseUp

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Manchester, NH) – On Sunday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Adam Sexton on WMUR’s CloseUp to discuss ongoing global affairs such as Russia’s war in Ukraine, as well as pressing issues in New Hampshire including the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs and Republican-led threats to federal services. The Senator also detailed her decision to not seek reelection. The first segment can be found here and the second segment can be found here.   

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen below: 

    On threats to U.S. leadership abroad:  

    • “Both ceasefires that this President is talking about taking credit for are falling apart already. The ceasefire in Israel with Gaza has already fallen apart. The ceasefire that he’s trying to broker with Russia has already fallen apart.” 
    • “[Elon Musk] came up with this brilliant idea to get rid of USAID and so has undermined so many of our efforts that help us compete with China around the world. Our efforts that keep Americans safe because we’re tracking epidemics in places like Africa. That promote democracy efforts in countries where, if we’re not there China comes in and takes up that vacuum that we’ve left. So, I think he’s totally misguided, and he has no real understanding of what it means for the United States to be a leader in the world.”  

    On the harmful impact of President Trump’s tariffs on Granite State businesses:  

    • “I was at C&J[…] yesterday. He’s had to cancel more than half of his bus order for new busses that are made in Canada because he’s concerned about the additional cost.” 
    • “I was up north on Wednesday in the North Country, talking to Littleton town officials who were talking about visitors coming down to New Hampshire who they’re concerned are not going to be here, about small businesses that are worried they are not expanding because they’re worried about the inability to have the relationship that they have had with Canada.” 

    On Elon Musk and DOGE’s gutting of federal services: 

    • “We are in this economic mess because of the decisions that President Trump is making about tariffs, about the uncertainty that he’s created, about the chaos that he’s created in Washington, about the layoffs that he’s doing and I want to keep people focused on that.” 
    • “The fact is, Donald Trump, in his campaign said he was going to do something about grocery prices. He was going to do something about inflation. He was going to do something about high energy costs. He was going to do something about the cost of rental housing and he was going to address mortgage rates. He was going to end the war in Ukraine on the first day. He’s done none of those things.” 

    On her decision not to seek reelection: 

    • “It’s time to think about what else I might want to do. I’m not going to leave trying to make a difference in New Hampshire and [I’ll] still be engaged, but it will be nice to have a little more flexibility to do some other things.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New executive chair selected to boost innovation and growth across the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    New executive chair selected to boost innovation and growth across the UK

    Tom Adeyoola selected as preferred candidate to head up Innovate UK.

    Tom Adeyoola appointed as new executive chair for Innovate UK to drive pioneering R&D and transformative technologies

    • Tech entrepreneur and Metail founder Tom Adeyoola selected as preferred head of Innovate UK as the government ramps up plans to drive growth
    • Backing businesses across the UK, Innovate UK invests in game-changing innovation, from advanced AI to zero-emission transport, fuelling our Plan for Change
    • Under Tom’s leadership, Innovate UK will accelerate efforts to scale up British innovation and turn cutting-edge research into real-world impact, helping businesses grow and compete on a global stage

    Tech entrepreneur and business leader Tom Adeyoola will head up Innovate UK to unlock the potential of British business and turbocharge growth through our Plan for Change.

    Once confirmed by parliament, Tom will act as Chair of Innovate UK, part of the largest national public research funder, helping businesses turn cutting-edge ideas into real-world products.

    The agency funds ambitious companies, drives transformative technologies, and oversees the UK’s Catapult Network, which connects businesses with world-class R&D expertise. Through its £100 million Innovation Accelerator programme, it is already creating high-skilled jobs and new opportunities in Glasgow, Manchester, and the West Midlands, helping these regions become global hubs for research, from advanced manufacturing to life sciences.

    Over 450,000 innovators across the country were supported by the agency in 2023/2024, including support for successful scale-ups such as Pragmatic, a world leader in semiconductor innovation that has grown from a dozen to 330 employees in a decade – powering everyday tech from smartphones to medical devices, and Pragmatic’s ultra-thin, low-cost microchips open new possibilities for smart packaging and wearable health tech.

    Innovate UK was an early backer of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, whose handheld DNA sequencing technology is now used worldwide – from diagnosing diseases faster to tracking viruses like COVID-19. Their success has not only transformed healthcare but also driven economic growth, with the company now valued at £1.49 billion and generating annual revenues of around £183 million.

    People could see faster medical deliveries, air taxis cutting journey times, and greener transport options through Innovate UK’s flagship Future Flight Challenge, which works with businesses and regulators to develop drone technology and zero-emission aircraft.

    Tom Adeyoola brings a wealth of experience spanning technology, investment, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.  As co-founder of Extend Ventures, he has worked with Innovate UK to improve diversity in grant funding and support underrepresented entrepreneurs. He also serves on the steering board of The Startup Coalition, advocating for high-growth tech businesses across the UK.

    Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    Innovation is central to this government’s Plan for Change, helping to unlock new opportunities, boost productivity, and create high-value jobs across the UK.

    With his experience in technology, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation Tom Adeyoola is the right person to ensure Innovate UK delivers real impact – backing pioneering businesses, scaling up breakthrough innovations and ensuring the UK leads in the industries of the future.

    I thank Indro Mukerjee, and Stella Peace for all of their contributions up to this point and I look forward to working with Tom as we continue to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow an innovative business.

    Whilst on the Board at Channel 4, he focused on digital transformation and championed innovation funding in the creative industries. He has also been a driving force in exploring the impact of generative AI on the economy, from education to public services. His blend of business, technology, and policy expertise makes him well-placed to steer Innovate UK’s investments – helping pioneering companies scale up, from greener aviation to sustainable food production.

    UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said:

    Tom Adeyoola’s appointment is excellent news for Innovate UK and the whole of UKRI. His experience and insight as a technology entrepreneur and business leader will bring enormous benefits and expertise to the organisation at this critical time.

    I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Stella Peace for her superb leadership as interim Executive Chair. Stella will continue to play a major role for UKRI as Innovate UK’s Executive Director of Healthy Living and Agriculture.

    Under Tom Adeyoola’s leadership, Innovate UK will continue backing businesses and driving forward the government’s Plan for Change – supporting pioneering businesses, create high-value jobs, and turn cutting-edge ideas into solutions that improve lives across the UK.

    Incoming Executive Chair of Innovate UK, Tom Adeyoola said:

    Innovate UK plays a vital role in catalysing the businesses that will shape the UK’s future economy – whether through cutting-edge technologies, the creative industries, or AI.  

    I look forward to working with partners across the ecosystem, industry and government to ensure our investments have a multiplier impact, driving innovation that fuels economic growth and strengthens the UK’s position as a global leader in science and technology.

    Tom Adeyoola’s appointment follows a competitive recruitment process and is subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing by the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee, which is expected to take place on 8 April.

    Notes to editors

    Tom will be stepping down from all existing responsibilities besides his roles on the Board of Channel 4 and as a school governor.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Course charted for carbon free shipping by 2050

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Course charted for carbon free shipping by 2050

    Our maritime decarbonisation strategy will help us build a cleaner, more resilient maritime nation.

    • vessels will soon use future fuels and plug into shipping ‘chargeports’ as part of UK’s new goals for shipping operators to reach net zero by 2050, part of the government’s Plan for Change to make the UK a clean energy superpower  
    • worst polluting vessels will decarbonise first as government sets out new plans to deliver energy security and build a clean maritime future
    • news comes ahead of the UN’s maritime meeting where the UK mission will push for global greenhouse gas reductions across the industry

    Fuels of the future and shipping charge points in harbours are at the centre of a major new strategy to make Britain’s shipping fleet net zero by 2050 and drive growth in coastal communities.

    The Maritime Minister has today (25 March 2025) revealed the government’s new goals for all vessels that operate in UK waters and dock at UK ports to be carbon free and help vessel owners, operators and scientists make emission-free voyages a reality. 

    Part of the government’s Plan for Change to propel the UK towards becoming a green energy superpower and drive growth, the new Maritime decarbonisation strategy sets out goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, 80% by 2040 and to zero by 2050. This will see the UK match the highest level of the ambitious goals agreed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in their 2023 strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emission from ships.  

    Investment in green technologies and fuels will cement the UK as a clean energy superpower and encourage a green economic revival at the local level, helping to build high-skilled jobs in coastal communities and delivering a local boon to cities and towns.

    Under the new strategy, the shipping sector will be brought under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS). This will see operators of larger vessels such as tankers and cruises – which cause the most pollution – pay more for their greenhouse gas emissions.

    Furthermore, the strategy sets out plans to reduce emissions from shipping and increase the use of clean fuels and technologies, such as hydrogen, electric or ammonia vessels.

    Later today the minister will launch the new strategy in Portsmouth with vessel chargeport pioneer ABB and demonstrate how these new green shipping technologies will bring in private investment, create thousands more jobs and revitalise coastal communities.

    Such investment has already seen growth in coastal regions, with the £206 million of UK SHORE funding having already supported over 300 organisations across every nation and region in the UK and secured over £100 million of private investment, helping to kickstart economic growth.

    Maritime Minister, Mike Kane, said: 

    Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face today. Working together with industry and international partners, we are driving down emissions in every corner of the economy.

    As part of our Plan for Change, we’re committed to making the UK a green energy superpower and our maritime decarbonisation strategy will help us build a cleaner, more resilient maritime nation.

    In addition, the government is also launching 2 calls for evidence today to help inform the development of measures needed to reduce emissions at berth, understand the future energy demand at ports and decarbonise smaller vessels. 

    Richard Ballantyne OBE, Chief Executive of the British Ports Association, said:

    We welcome today’s announcement. UK ports are already demonstrating their commitment to net zero with ambitious targets and investment in new technologies and fuels. The UK SHORE programme shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together on shared goals.

    We will continue to work closely with the Department for Transport on lowering barriers to investment and decarbonisation for both ports and vessels and this strategy will help set a clear direction and expectations well into the future. We look forward to a continued close partnership built on common aims.

    Chris Shirling-Rooke, Chief Executive of Maritime UK, said:

    Decarbonisation is both an enormous challenge and opportunity for the maritime sector, with huge potential for growth, jobs and innovation in our coastal communities, and across the whole of the United Kingdom.

    It is vital that our country continues to drive change and chase growth by creating a cleaner and more sustainable future. We welcome the government’s commitment today and look forward to continuing to work with them on the maritime decarbonisation strategy.

    Mike Sellers, Director of Portsmouth International Port, said:

    We welcome the announcement of the new maritime decarbonisation strategy, which the port’s master plan very much aligns with.

    To help achieve this ambition, we’re on track to become the UK’s first multi-berth, multi-ship ‘chargeport’ by providing renewable plug-in energy when ships are alongside from spring 2025.

    The seachange shore power project, demonstrates the success of both public and private investment, supported by the government’s zero emissions vessels and infrastructure (ZEVI) fund, driving innovation towards net zero. We’re pleased to show the minister what’s happening in Portsmouth and how this could be a model for ports across the country.

    Rhett Hatcher, CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, said:

    The UK Chamber is proud to have led the way on decarbonisation, publicly calling for the global shipping industry to reach net zero emissions by 2050, prior to the UK government and IMO commitments. Across our sector, we have already invested in new technologies and pioneering innovations to meet our commitments and are leading the drive towards net zero. We, therefore, welcome the government’s publication of the maritime decarbonisation strategy, as a much-needed successor to the 2019 clean maritime plan.

    The government’s strategy must now be matched by delivering the regulatory framework, technology and infrastructure, including a shore power revolution, required to support the green transition for UK maritime, bringing benefits to maritime communities and the UK economy. We look forward to working collaboratively alongside government to progress this important agenda and reach our shared goals of a cleaner, more resilient maritime sector in the UK.

    Anna Krajinska, UK Director at Transport & Environment (T&E), said:

    T&E welcomes the government’s commitment to reduce shipping emissions by 30% by 2030, 80% by 2040 and net zero by 2050. It is crucial that ambitious targets are coupled with robust policy measures to slash the UK’s domestic and international shipping emissions without delay.

    Geraint Evans, Chief Executive of the UK Major Ports Group, said:

    Major ports are at the heart of the UK’s transition to net zero, acting as hubs of innovation and supporting the development of future fuels, clean maritime infrastructure, and greener supply chains. Today’s strategy provides much-needed policy certainty for industry, unlocking investment in the technologies and infrastructure that will drive down emissions.

    The successful delivery of the government’s missions relies on strong public and private sector partnerships, and with the right long-term commitment and collaboration, we can accelerate the transition to lower-carbon shipping and ensure the UK remains a global leader in maritime sustainability.

    Mark Dickinson, General Secretary of Nautilus International, said:

    Nautilus International welcomes the government’s ambitious maritime decarbonisation strategy as a crucial step toward building a sustainable future for UK shipping. The targets to achieve zero emissions by 2050, with significant milestones in 2030 and 2040, demonstrate the commitment needed to address the climate emergency that threatens our planet.

    As we transition to new fuels, technologies and vessel designs, we must ensure this green revolution delivers for maritime professionals too. A just transition must be at the heart of these changes – guaranteeing quality jobs, comprehensive training and appropriate upskilling for seafarers who will be operating these new systems. We look forward to working closely with the UK government in achieving a just transition that supports continued economic and employment growth and prosperity for coastal communities as well as all maritime professionals.

    With global shipping accounting for 2% of all emissions, the UK will push for high ambitions at the UN’s next meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April, as it develops important measures to reduce emissions from global shipping.

    Maritime media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation

    Hard working families to get safe and secure homes as Chancellor announces £2 billion injection of new grant funding to deliver up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes.

    • Landmark announcement part of Plan for Change to deliver security for working people by growing the economy and building 1.5 million homes.

    • £2 billion of new funding will only support development on sites that will deliver in this Parliament, getting spades in the ground quickly to build homes in places such as Manchester and Liverpool.

    Helping hard working families get safe and secure homes and kickstarting economic growth are driving the government’s agenda, as the Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister today (Tuesday 25 March) announced up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes will be built with a £2 billion injection of investment to deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

    The announcement hails a significant milestone on the government’s promise to build 1.5 million new homes whilst driving economic growth by getting Britain building again. It follows the government’s plan to inspire the next generation of British engineers, brickies and chippies, by training 60,000 construction workers to tackle skills shortages and get more young people into jobs.

    The £2 billion investment boost comes as a down payment from the Treasury ahead of more long term investment in social and affordable housing planned later this year, which will provide additional funding for 2026-27 and well as for future years. This forms part of the government’s plan for tackling the housing crisis that has held working families back from the stability and security that comes with a safe roof over your head.

    Thousands of new affordable homes will start construction by March 2027 and will complete by the end of this Parliament. The government is encouraging providers to come forwards as soon as possible with projects and bids to ramp up the delivery of new housing supply, in turn making the dream of home ownership a reality for more people across the country.

    Today’s investment will also unlock development and opportunity on sites that are ready and waiting for spades in the ground in places such as Manchester or Liverpool.

    The Chancellor announced plans on a visit to an affordable housing site in Stoke-On-Trent with the Deputy Prime Minister, working hand in hand to deliver the biggest boost to affordable and social housing in a generation.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said:

    Everyone deserves to have a safe and secure roof over their heads and a place to call their own, but the reality is that far too many people have been frozen out of homeownership or denied the chance to rent a home they can afford thanks to the housing crisis we’ve inherited.

    This investment will help us to build thousands more affordable homes to buy and rent and get working people and families into secure homes and onto the housing ladder. This is just the latest in delivering our Plan for Change mission to build 1.5 million homes, and the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

    We are fixing the housing crisis in this country with the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Today’s announcement will help drive growth through our Plan for Change by delivering up to 18,000 new homes, as well as jobs and opportunities, getting more money into working people’s pockets.

    At the conclusion of the current Spending Review process on 11 June 2025, the government will announce further long-term investment into the sector in England, delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.

    Kate Henderson, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation, says:

    This funding top-up is hugely welcome and demonstrates the government’s commitment to delivering genuinely affordable, social housing for families in need across the country. The additional £2 billion will prevent a cliff edge in delivery of new homes, ahead of the next funding programme being announced.

    Social housing is the only secure and affordable housing for families on low incomes, and the dire shortage has led to rocketing rates of poverty, overcrowding and homelessness. Investment in social housing is not only key to tackling the housing crisis, but is also excellent value for money, reducing government spending on benefits, health, and homelessness as well as boosting growth. Housing associations are ready to work with the government to deliver a generation of new social homes.

    Charlie Nunn, CEO, Lloyds Banking Group said:

    A safe and lasting home is the foundation for good lives and livelihoods, and we welcome this boost to building much-needed social and affordable homes.  As the UK’s biggest commercial supporter of social housing, we’re working across the private, public and community sectors to help increase provision of good quality, genuinely affordable housing for those in need.

    David Thomas, CEO at Barratt Redrow said:

    To increase construction activity and build the homes the UK desperately needs, we need support for demand across all tenures. As well as providing more much-needed affordable homes, this welcome investment will help unlock mixed-tenure developments and to create jobs and economic growth across the country.

    Stephen Teagle, Chair of The Housing Forum said:

    This additional funding signals that the Government is listening to the sector and reaffirms its strong commitment to accelerating the delivery of much-needed affordable housing while driving economic growth. It represents an unprecedented intervention which, when paired with sustained, long-term investment, will be instrumental in meeting the growing demand for affordable homes.

    Now, it’s up to the industry to rise to the challenge — accelerating delivery, building momentum towards the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes, and ensuring we provide the housing this country urgently needs.

    Guidance

    • The majority of this funding will fall in 2026/27, but a tail of funding will cover completions of homes after this. All projects funded through this £2 billion will need to start by March 2027, and will need to finish by June 2029.

    • The funding will be made available to providers on the same terms as the Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26, and will act as a bridge to the future grant programme to be announced at Spending Review. We will ask Homes England, GLA and bidders to prioritise homes for social rent, in line with the government’s commitment to support this tenure. 

    • Full details of wider long-term and future grant investment will be announced at the Spending Review. At this point we will set out the full funding for 26/27 and beyond, to supplement this down payment of £2 billion.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe concerned over marginalization in Ukraine peace process

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    As U.S.-Ukraine and U.S.-Russia delegations held separate talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday and Monday, growing concerns are emerging in Europe over its marginalization in the peace negotiations.

    Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov described Sunday’s talks as “productive and focused,” noting that “key points including energy” were addressed. Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, emphasized that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s goal is “to secure a just and lasting peace” for Ukraine and Europe at large.

    On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow and Washington share a “desire and readiness” to pursue a peaceful settlement. He noted that the talks covered various technical issues, including a potential resumption of the Black Sea Initiative.

    However, the absence of European representation at the talks has sparked concern among officials and analysts. From discussions on the Black Sea to broader peace efforts, some European observers warn that critical decisions are being made without European input.

    A Financial Times newsletter on Monday reported that officials from Romania and Bulgaria, two Black Sea nations, privately voiced concern over significant shifts in the region’s status quo, arguing such changes could impact their security without giving them a say.

    In an article published Monday, Salvador Sanchez Tapia, professor of conflict analysis and international security at Spain’s University of Navarra, wrote: “Europe has been left out of negotiating efforts … This disregard shows how little the continent matters to its North American partner.”

    He added that, lacking the capacity to support Ukraine as the United States once did, Europe may have little choice but to accept Washington’s approach while still attempting to make its voice heard.

    Former German diplomat Rudiger Ludeking echoed these concerns in an interview with German media, saying that since U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to office, diplomatic engagement between Washington and Moscow, as well as with Kiev, has intensified, largely bypassing NATO, the European Union (EU), and major European powers. He warned that “the EU could be the loser” in these negotiations.

    While some European voices express frustration, others view the talks as a potential step toward de-escalation.

    Balazs Orban, political director of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, welcomed the truce discussions, saying that changing circumstances would eventually compel Europe and policymakers in Brussels to adopt a more pragmatic stance. He warned that if the EU maintains its current position, it risks falling behind and becoming increasingly sidelined in the peace process.

    In an interview with local N1 Television on Monday, former Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovac expressed optimism over the White House’s mention of a possible ceasefire by Easter, saying such a development would allow people to “stop dying because it no longer makes sense.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multinational CEOs flock to China for business opportunities

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

    This photo taken on March 23, 2025 shows the Symposium on Macro Policies and Economic Growth of the China Development Forum 2025 in Beijing, capital of China. The China Development Forum 2025 is scheduled from March 23 to 24. The theme of this year’s forum is “Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy.” [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, March 24 — Heads of some 80 multinationals including Siemens, Apple, Samsung and Pfizer have flocked to China to seek new cooperation opportunities with the world’s second-largest economy.

    The transnational corporate chiefs were present at the China Development Forum 2025 in Beijing, scheduled from March 23 to 24. The annual event, hosted by the Development Research Center of China’s State Council, has become an important platform of dialogue for the Chinese government, global businesses, academia, and international organizations.

    China will continue to welcome enterprises from around the world with open arms, further expand market access, actively address the concerns of businesses, and facilitate the deeper integration of foreign-funded enterprises into the Chinese market, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the forum.

    Prior to the forum, British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca signed a landmark 2.5-billion-U.S. dollar agreement on Friday to invest in Beijing over the next five years, the largest single investment in Beijing’s biopharmaceutical sector in recent years.

    Under the agreement, AstraZeneca will establish a global strategic R&D center in Beijing, its sixth worldwide and second in China after one in Shanghai. The new center, equipped with an advanced artificial intelligence and data science laboratory, will accelerate early-stage drug research and clinical development.

    “The investment highlights our confidence in Beijing’s world-class life sciences innovation ecosystem, extensive collaborative opportunities, and exceptional talent pool,” AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said in an interview with Xinhua.

    In 2024, BMW delivered over 100,000 battery electric vehicles to customers in China for the first time, making China its strongest single market for electric vehicles.

    The company is committed to expanding its investment in China and accelerating the localization of production as well as research and development, said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, in a meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

    Zipse also noted that there are only losers and no winners in a tariff war. The company firmly opposes the EU imposing additional tariffs on Chinese EVs and hopes that both the EU and China can properly resolve their differences, he said.

    At a symposium of the forum, Zipse said he was impressed by the AI Plus initiative in China’s government work report this year, and that BMW is working with Chinese sci-tech leaders to apply generative AI and large language model technologies into its vehicles.

    Miguel Lopez, CEO of Thyssenkrupp AG, an industrial conglomerate, said China is not only one of the largest markets, but also the country with the most comprehensive industrial chain and supply chain in the world, as well as a good logistics system.

    Thyssenkrupp will continue to strengthen supply chain management in China and establish good relationships with local suppliers, which will not only reduce its costs and improves its resilience, but also improves its performance on global markets, Lopez said.

    Lim Boon Heng, chairman of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, said he truly feels during his visit the growing innovation and vitality of the Chinese market and the improved business environment.

    Noting China has become one of Temasek’s most important investment destinations, he said Temasek is full of confidence in the long-term prospects of the Chinese economy and will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market.

    For Otis, the elevator industry leader has benefited from China’s rapid urbanization over the past few decades.

    Judy Marks, CEO of Otis Worldwide Corporation, said the country still offers great opportunities in the future, and compared with decades ago, China is no longer just a production base and sales market, but also a research and development base for elevators.

    “I think most of the world will not only want to partner with China but also strengthen economic relations with China,” said Jeffrey Sachs, an economics professor at Columbia University.

    Official data has shown that China remains a top destination for transnational investment. Some 60,000 foreign-invested companies were established in China in 2024 alone, a 9.9 percent year-on-year increase. The return rate of FDI in China has remained at approximately 9 percent over the past five years, ranking among the highest around the world.

    This year’s government work report notes that China will encourage foreign investors to increase their reinvestment in the country, and it will ensure equal treatment for foreign-funded enterprises in fields such as production factor access, license applications, standards setting and government procurement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China intensifies efforts to eradicate tuberculosis

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

    BEIJING, March 24 — As a country facing huge challenges posed by tuberculosis (TB), China is accelerating its efforts to eliminate the disease domestically while making active contributions to the global anti-TB fight.

    According to data from the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, the incidence and mortality rates of TB in China have fallen by 30 percent since 2012.

    Since 2012, China has successfully identified and treated approximately 7.85 million cases of pulmonary TB, maintaining a treatment success rate above 90 percent and a relatively low mortality rate, the administration said.

    Behind these encouraging figures is a cumulative investment of over 10 billion yuan (about 1.39 billion U.S. dollars) from China’s central government into special funds for TB prevention and control, noted Zhao Yanlin, head of the Center for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).

    To ease the financial burden on TB patients, some local medical insurance bureaus in China have included TB into the category of outpatient chronic and special diseases, which offers higher reimbursement rates and caps than ordinary outpatient diseases, with reimbursement rates exceeding 90 percent.

    In Jiangsu Province, thanks to the policy to use certain innovative drugs free-of-charge in medical treatment, the treatment success rate for drug-resistant TB cases has risen to 85.6 percent, said Zhu Limei, an institute director under the province’s center for disease control and prevention.

    Beyond financial and policy support, China is also committed to innovation, aiming to further enhance TB prevention and treatment.

    In Jinxi, a town in Jiangsu, TB detection has shifted from passive to proactive screening, with an AI-powered imaging system and molecular diagnostic technologies now available at the community health center.

    “AI can quickly flag lung abnormalities, allowing faster diagnosis at the grassroots level,” said Tang Qingyan, a doctor with a local hospital. Currently, the new system and technologies are available in 47 community hospitals across the province, with plans to expand to 100 this year.

    In March, Jiangsu’s capital city of Nanjing launched one of the country’s first zero-cost treatment plan for drug-resistant TB using BPaL — the latest short-course regimen worldwide. This regimen, featuring drugs such as bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid, is expected to shorten the treatment period to just six months and boost the cure rate to over 90 percent.

    The first patient to receive the regimen in Nanjing said, “I was under immense pressure, worrying about whether the disease could be cured. This short and effective novel treatment has given me reassurance.”

    In its national plan for TB prevention and control released in November 2024, China set a clear objective to steadily reduce incidence, maintain low mortality rates, and significantly ease the burden on patients.

    Jointly issued by nine authorities, the plan integrates responsibilities across 15 government departments into an accountability framework, strengthening interagency coordination to ensure policy implementation.

    “Ending TB requires everyone’s effort, not just that of healthcare workers,” said an official from the China CDC. In fact, the entire Chinese society is actively working toward the goal of eradicating this deadly disease, the official noted.

    Hu Linjia, a university student volunteer, has been visiting local communities and using interactive quizzes to educate the elderly on TB prevention and control.

    “Every person made aware of TB brings us one step closer to ending this epidemic,” Hu said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces the Restraining Judicial Insurrectionists Act of 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    Bill would stop blanket injunctions from sabotaging President Trump’s legitimate constitutional authority as Commander in Chief

     

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced the Restraining Judicial Insurrectionists Act of 2025, which establishes a three-judge panel to swiftly review injunctions or declaratory relief against the President of the United States and the Executive Branch, with quick appeal to the Supreme Court. This legislation comes in the wake of several decisions by district court judges usurping the role of the Chief Executive from President Donald Trump and attempting to thwart the will of the American people who elected him. 

    “America’s government cannot function if the legitimate orders of our Commander in Chief can be overridden at the whim of a single district court judge,” said Senator Lee. “They have presumed to run the military, the civil service, foreign aid, and HR departments across the Executive Branch—blatantly unconstitutional overreach. This legislation will create a judicial panel to expedite Supreme Court review of these blanket injunctions, preventing unelected radicals in robes from sabotaging the separation of powers.”

      

    BACKGROUND ON THE RESTRAINING JUDICIAL INSURRECTIONISTS ACT OF 2025

    • The bill amends 28 USC 2284 to state that any action commenced against the executive seeking injunctive or declaratory relief against the Executive will go to a three-judge district court.
    • Next, it requires that upon filing any covered action, the district judge who received the complaint and/or motion for preliminary injunction will refer the matter to the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice will then be required to select three judges in active service to preside over the case.
    • Additionally, the bill requires that a majority of the judges must agree to issue any form of relief, preliminary or permanent.
    • Finally, because this is a three-judge district court, all orders are directly appealable to the Supreme Court without discretion—so they must take up the case. 

    You can read the bill text HERE.

    You can read the Washington Examiner’s exclusive coverage HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Statement on Juliana Case

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Today, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for certiorari by plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, a case the Justice Department has consistently defended across three presidential administrations.

    The case, filed in 2015, sought to have courts force the government to implement more stringent, remedial measures related to climate change. The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon agreed to hear the case. The Justice Department moved to dismiss and sought an interlocutory appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit remanded the case to the district court with instructions to dismiss. The district court accepted an amended complaint, and the circuit court again instructed for the case to be dismissed. The plaintiffs then filed a petition for certiorari in the Supreme Court.

    “For nearly a decade, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Juliana case have tied up the United States in litigation, persisting even after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice instructed the case to be dismissed because the plaintiffs lack Article III standing,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The U.S. Supreme Court’s cert denial brings this long saga to a conclusion. Through ENRD’s work, the Justice Department is enforcing our nation’s environmental laws and safeguarding America’s air, water, and natural resources. Cases like Juliana distract from those enforcement efforts.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Statement on Juliana Case

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Today, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for certiorari by plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, a case the Justice Department has consistently defended across three presidential administrations.

    The case, filed in 2015, sought to have courts force the government to implement more stringent, remedial measures related to climate change. The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon agreed to hear the case. The Justice Department moved to dismiss and sought an interlocutory appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit remanded the case to the district court with instructions to dismiss. The district court accepted an amended complaint, and the circuit court again instructed for the case to be dismissed. The plaintiffs then filed a petition for certiorari in the Supreme Court.

    “For nearly a decade, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Juliana case have tied up the United States in litigation, persisting even after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice instructed the case to be dismissed because the plaintiffs lack Article III standing,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The U.S. Supreme Court’s cert denial brings this long saga to a conclusion. Through ENRD’s work, the Justice Department is enforcing our nation’s environmental laws and safeguarding America’s air, water, and natural resources. Cases like Juliana distract from those enforcement efforts.”

    MIL Security OSI –