NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A program for Sergei Yesenin’s birthday has been prepared at the Moskino cinema park

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On July 5 and 6, the Moskino Cinema Park will host performances, concerts, lectures and master classes by filmmakers dedicated to the 130th anniversary of Sergei Yesenin’s birth. Guests are invited to recall the poet’s works and learn more about the Silver Age.

    Lectures and performances

    On Saturday and Sunday at 14:00, the educational center will host lectures on the work of Sergei Yesenin and the era in which he lived. Eduard Zakharov, a candidate of philological sciences and a teacher at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), will speak at the lectures. He will talk about the fate of Sergei Yesenin in the context of the revolution and cultural crisis, about his rare poetic style and ditty motifs in his poems. The lecture program may be subject to change.

    On Saturday, the Gonzaga Theatre will show the play Isadora at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. The audience will see a story about love, poetry, passion and dance, based on the difficult relationship between Sergei Yesenin and the legendary dancer Isadora Duncan. They were completely different: they were separated by language, culture and views on life. But their meeting became the beginning of a stormy and passionate story, full of contradictions and emotions, which will forever remain part of the poet’s biography. On July 5 at 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM, and on July 6 at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, the actors of the Theatre on the Hills will present a lyrical play about the life, work and fate of the great poet.

    On Sunday at 12:00 and 16:30 the musical group “Zavtra” will perform on the stage of the “Gonzaga Theater”. The artists will perform songs based on the poems of Sergei Yesenin in a modern arrangement.

    Attendance at the events is included in the price of a ticket to the cinema park. You can buy it atlink or at the information center by QR code. Cash payment is not accepted.

    Movie Weekend at Moskino

    In addition, the cinema park will also host a traditional film weekend program. Experienced filmmakers will speak at the educational center. On July 5 at 15:00, the director of the Young Muscovites Theater Andrey Zadubrovsky will give a lecture. He will talk about the interaction of actors on the set and their transformation into characters, and will also share his professional experience.

    Irina Glebova, Dean of the Production Department of the Institute of Cinema and Television (GITR), will give a lecture on July 6 at 15:00 on the selection of actors for the roles of historical characters, the work of artists with archival materials and immersion in the era, as well as the creation of a believable atmosphere through a stage image.

    Producer Petr Petska will hold a master class at 16:00, where he will share the secrets of creating a believable historical environment, discuss with the participants the cost of building decorations and coordinating the use of literary and artistic works with heirs and museums. The lecture program may be subject to change.

    Master classes on creating professional acting makeup and hairstyling by Svetlana Shevtsova and Irina Konovalova will be held on July 5 and 6 at 12:30 and 16:30. Attendance at the events is included in the price of a ticket to the cinema park. You can purchase it atlink or by QR code at the information center.

    The Gonzaga Theatre will host concerts by virtuoso musical experimenters Limoncello Band. Spectators will hear original rock compositions performed on two cellos in a modern arrangement. The concerts will take place on July 6 at 13:00 and 15:30.

    Children are invited to four animation games that will take place on the site near the natural chromakey. In “Collect a Poem” children will receive cards with lines from poetry and will have to arrange them in the correct order, in “Duel of Poets” children will be able to show their strength and resourcefulness, tug-of-war and invent rhymes, in “Rhymeball” they will compose a poem from four phrases, and in the game “In Pursuit of the Muse” they will go through an obstacle course for speed.

    Four master classes will be held for children and teenagers on the central square. During the “Pens for a Poet” class, participants will be able to create a writing quill from a pen and cardboard. During the “Wandering Through Blue Villages” plein air, guests will paint rural landscapes with acrylic paints. During the calligraphy master class, children will write their names with a real pen, dipping it in ink, and will also be able to stylize a bookmark using acrylic markers.

    Attendance at the events is included in the price of a ticket to the cinema park. You can buy it atlink or by QR code at the information center.

    The Moskino cinema park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s “Moscow – City of Cinema” project and an object of the Moscow cinema cluster, which is being developed by the capital Department of CultureThe first stage of development has already been completed here: 24 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built, including the sets “Center of Moscow”, “Moscow in the 1940s”, “Vitebsk Station”, “Yurovo Airport”, “Cathedral Square of Moscow”, “Deaf Village”, “County Town”, “Cowboy Town”, “St. Petersburg Bar” and other sites.

    The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino film park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino film factory, the Moskino cinema chain, the film commission and the Moskino film platform.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/156238073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Council of Veterans received 13 premises in six months

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In 2025, veterans’ councils received new premises in eight districts of the capital. This was reported by Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Moscow Department of City Property.

    “Since the beginning of 2025, veterans’ councils have received 13 premises in eight districts with a total area of almost a thousand square meters. The facilities for accommodating veterans’ organizations are assigned to local administrations on the basis of operational management. The creation of new jobs for organizations interacting with older people promotes active participation in the social and cultural life of the capital,” said Ekaterina Solovyova.

    The largest premises with an area of almost 160 square meters are located in Vostryakovsky Proezd. It was transferred to the Biryulevo Zapadnoye District Administration. The facility with an area of over 135 square meters on Svyatoozerskaya Street was received by the Kosino-Ukhtomsky District Administration. The Tekstilshchiki District Veterans Council will be able to use a premises with an area of almost 132 square meters on Lyublinskaya Street.

    Providing property support to socially oriented organizations is one of the priority areas of the capital’s activities. In order to obtain the necessary real estate from the city, representatives of the district and regional divisions of the Moscow City Council of Veterans can apply to local executive authorities. Based on such applications, the prefectures of the administrative districts make a request to the capital Department of City Property on the selection of suitable objects, which are provided by special order.

    As part of the development of social infrastructure, the city provides veterans’ councils with premises in densely populated areas of the capital. The facilities are located so that older citizens can easily get to them. Non-residential real estate is usually located on the first floors of apartment buildings and has a separate entrance, which meets the requirements for accommodating veterans’ organizations.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/156249073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: At the Faculty of Economics of NSU, 14 master’s students completed their studies under a joint program with the National Research University Higher School of Economics on innovative technologies in logistics

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Yesterday, diplomas were awarded to fourteen master’s students who completed their studies under the unique for Russia online educational program of two diplomas of NSU and HSE – “Innovative technologies of logistics and supply chain management in the digital economy”. This important project for NSU was launched in 2023 and was supported within the framework of the Priority 2030 program. To implement it, teachers joined forces Faculty of Economics, NSU and staff of the International Centre for Supply Chain Management at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    — A well-built logistics system is an important factor that affects the profitability of a business. This area, like most others, is currently being transformed due to the active implementation of digital technologies. In the current situation, specialists are in demand who are able to build a logistics strategy, respond flexibly and quickly adapt to a changing market, reorient supply chains and forecast demand in conditions of uncertainty. Therefore, it was decided to launch a new educational program, — one of the scientific directors of the master’s program, Doctor of Economics Naimdzhon Ibragimov, told about the history of the project.

    According to the Dean of the NSU Faculty of Economics, PhD in Sociology Tatyana Bogomolova, the key to the success of this project was the high motivation to gain new experience and knowledge among both students and the teaching staff scattered throughout the country. The training was held online according to the regular schedule of the NSU Faculty of Economics Master’s program, two classes every weekday from 6 p.m. Novosibirsk time and up to five classes in the morning on Saturdays.

    — Our students have received such a volume of knowledge on logistics from HSE specialists in two years of study that few people receive in four years. The NSU Faculty of Economics was responsible for the blocks of disciplines on management, instrumental economic analysis and modern modeling in this project. The co-directors of the program were the gurus of domestic logistics, Doctor of Economics Valentina Dybskaya and Doctor of Economics Viktor Sergeev from the HSE, and Doctor of Economics Naimdzhon Ibragimov and Candidate of Economics Elena Prishchenko from the NSU Faculty of Economics. Our students were the real co-authors of the logistics program! — noted Tatyana Bogomolova.

    When talking about why they chose this program, graduates point out that the program provided an opportunity to learn something new and gain practical knowledge.

    Anton Lee:

    — I was finishing my bachelor’s degree in management here and realized that I wanted fundamentally new knowledge that I didn’t have before. That same year, a program in logistics was opening. I was attracted by the fact that I had two diplomas — from NSU and HSE. And the topic, in my opinion, was very interesting.

    Igor Pletnev:

    — I chose this program because I was interested in participating in such a joint unusual project, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, in acquiring some understanding of the practical application of my knowledge. That is, if in the bachelor’s degree I was given a lot of general theory, then in the master’s degree in this program they showed me how to apply it in practice, in particular, in logistics.

    The new program allowed for a more detailed study of a rather narrow but promising field, which has great practical significance. Also, the cooperation of the two universities made it possible to present different points of view on the same subject.

    Oleg Bychenkov:

    — For us, it was useful as a new area of knowledge that we discovered for ourselves, a narrower one. It is important both at the macro level for the economy as a whole, and at the micro level for the enterprises in which we will work in the future or which we may even found.

    Anton Lee:

    — We have gained fundamental knowledge in a new industry. We have never touched the logistics field before. Now such big gates have opened, where there is a huge layer of knowledge that we have never touched.

    Igor Pletnev:

    — Each higher education institution, especially such renowned ones as the Higher School of Economics and Novosibirsk State University, has established scientific schools. The main advantage of such network programs is that students, studying in them, gain an understanding of the subject from different points of view.

    More specifically, courses in strategic management and business modeling will be particularly useful in practice.

    The program’s graduates also shared with us their plans for the future:

    Oleg Bychenkov:

    — Now there is much more variability, because a diploma from two top universities is valued both in Novosibirsk and in the capital. We have the opportunity to either change our specialization or go deeper within our profession. I was just being selected for the field of strategic consulting, which became possible thanks to studying in this master’s program, and I successfully passed all stages of the selection.

    Anton Lee:

    — I received a good fundamental education from Novosibirsk State University and a layer of new knowledge within the framework of the master’s degree. I saw new opportunities for myself, so I am more inclined to open my own business.

    Igor Pletnev:

    — My plans for the future are grandiose, now I have a rather interesting specialty and set of knowledge. Considering my practical experience in IT, I plan to join the team developing information products to ensure logistics.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: DM Mhlauli visits the community of Saldanha Bay to support ongoing disaster relief efforts.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli visits the community of Saldanha Bay to support ongoing disaster relief efforts. In partnership with Gift of the Givers, the Deputy Minister assists in distributing essentials and warm blankets to affected residents.
    The visit underscores government’s commitment to standing with communities during times of crisis and ensuring coordinated support reaches those in need.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgRi36FmyuA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer in Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney

    Thomas Yau/Shutterstock

    The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.

    The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.

    The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.

    The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.

    Authoritarian crackdown

    The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.

    We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.

    Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.

    When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.

    Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.

    International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.

    Prison or exile

    The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.

    The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.

    Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.

    Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law.
    Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock

    Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.

    Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.

    Zero tolerance

    The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.

    Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.

    The effort to eliminate opposition has seen the pro-independence National Party formally banned and scores of pro-democracy figures jailed after mass trials.

    Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.

    Distinctive voices such as law professor Benny Tai Yiu-ting, media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and firebrand politician Edward Leung Tin-kei have been jailed and silenced, as have many moderates and lesser-known figures.

    Shattered dreams

    Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.

    Some activists have fled overseas. The more outspoken are the subjects of Hong Kong arrest warrants.

    But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.

    Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.

    Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.

    Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.

    But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.

    Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.

    Brendan Clift 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. Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds – https://theconversation.com/hong-kongs-light-fades-as-another-pro-democracy-party-folds-260186

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer in Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney

    Thomas Yau/Shutterstock

    The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.

    The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.

    The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.

    The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.

    Authoritarian crackdown

    The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.

    We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.

    Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.

    When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.

    Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.

    International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.

    Prison or exile

    The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.

    The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.

    Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.

    Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law.
    Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock

    Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.

    Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.

    Zero tolerance

    The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.

    Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.

    The effort to eliminate opposition has seen the pro-independence National Party formally banned and scores of pro-democracy figures jailed after mass trials.

    Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.

    Distinctive voices such as law professor Benny Tai Yiu-ting, media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and firebrand politician Edward Leung Tin-kei have been jailed and silenced, as have many moderates and lesser-known figures.

    Shattered dreams

    Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.

    Some activists have fled overseas. The more outspoken are the subjects of Hong Kong arrest warrants.

    But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.

    Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.

    Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.

    Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.

    But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.

    Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.

    Brendan Clift 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. Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds – https://theconversation.com/hong-kongs-light-fades-as-another-pro-democracy-party-folds-260186

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Clift, Lecturer in Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney

    Thomas Yau/Shutterstock

    The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.

    The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.

    The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.

    The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.

    Authoritarian crackdown

    The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.

    We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.

    Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.

    When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.

    Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.

    International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.

    Prison or exile

    The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.

    The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.

    Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.

    Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law.
    Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock

    Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.

    Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.

    Zero tolerance

    The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.

    Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.

    The effort to eliminate opposition has seen the pro-independence National Party formally banned and scores of pro-democracy figures jailed after mass trials.

    Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.

    Distinctive voices such as law professor Benny Tai Yiu-ting, media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and firebrand politician Edward Leung Tin-kei have been jailed and silenced, as have many moderates and lesser-known figures.

    Shattered dreams

    Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.

    Some activists have fled overseas. The more outspoken are the subjects of Hong Kong arrest warrants.

    But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.

    Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.

    Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.

    Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.

    But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.

    Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.

    Brendan Clift 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. Hong Kong’s light fades as another pro-democracy party folds – https://theconversation.com/hong-kongs-light-fades-as-another-pro-democracy-party-folds-260186

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Sky News AM Agenda

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    KENNY HEATLEY: Joining me live is Education Minister Jason Clare. Really appreciate your time, Minister. Thanks so much. Wow, tough week.

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks, mate.

    HEATLEY: Take us through the Commonwealth ‘Kindy Cops’, so it’s been called in the media today, and the unannounced spot checks on daycare centres. What powers exactly will they have?

    CLARE: This is just one of the things that we’re doing. The bottom line, I’ve been pretty blunt this week, is that whilst action is being taken here to keep our kids safe in our early education and care centres, not enough has been done and not fast enough.

    One of the things we will do is introduce legislation in the first sitting fortnight when Parliament comes back, which is about pulling the funding of child care centres that aren’t up to scratch, that are persistently failing in meeting the safety and quality standards that we as a country expect of them. One of the big weapons that the Commonwealth has, probably the biggest, is the funding that we provide to child care centres. Something like $16 billion dollars a year. Centres run based on that funding, if they don’t get it, they can’t operate. And what I’m saying is, if they’re not meeting those standards that we expect, then we should have the power to pull that funding off them. So, the bill will do that. The bill will also make sure that centres that aren’t meeting those minimum standards can’t expand and open another centre. But there’s another thing that the bill will do as well, and that gives the sort of people who work in my department, who investigate fraud in child care centres the ability to do spot checks, unannounced visits. They won’t need a warrant, they won’t need the police to come with them when they’re investigating fraud in child care centres. And the fact is, this happens. I’ve invested an extra $200 million dollars into the investigation of child care fraud over the last few years, and it’s clawed back about $300 million for taxpayers. It can involve a child care centre that claims that they might have a child there three days a week. The fact is, they’re only there two days a week, but they’re claiming three days a week. This will give powers to my department and my investigators to go in and check if the child is actually there. It’s just one of the things that we do to improve the integrity of this system, as well as the things we need to do to improve safety for children.

    HEATLEY: So, how many of these inspectors do you see coming on board and doing these checks across the country, and I guess, how much will it cost? You know, that sort of thing? Have we gotten that far yet?

    CLARE: I’ve got about 150 people who work in the investigative team in the department, but there are also investigators in the state-based regulators who can support our work as well. As I said, it costs money, but ultimately it saves the taxpayer money. The investment of about an extra $200 million dollars over the last few years has clawed back more than that in money we’ve saved from the fraud investigations we do.

    HEATLEY: Is the Government considering implementing real-time updates on working with children checks based on criminal records? And how difficult is that, considering that pretty much every state and territory has different standards?

    CLARE: It is difficult, but people aren’t interested in excuses; they want action. And this is one of the things that the Attorney-General, Michelle Rowland, spoke about the other day. Attorneys-General are going to meet next month and look at the steps that must be taken to improve criminal record checks and the criminal record check system. Part of it is about information sharing across borders, part of it is about making sure that it’s updated in near real-time. I caution that none of this is a silver bullet here. I’m not going to comment specifically on the case in Victoria because it will be before the court, but in other examples we’ve found people who’ve been convicted of assaulting children in child care centres where they had a criminal record check. Why? Because they didn’t have a criminal record and so they got through the system. The truth is here, there’s no silver bullet. There’s a whole bunch of things that we need to do, and this work will never end. There are always going to be more things that we need to do here because there’s always going to be people who are going to try and break through the net to try to do the dastardly things that we’ve seen other people do.

    HEATLEY: Goodstart is going to install CCTV in all of its centres, hundreds of them. Will you make it mandatory in daycare centres?

    CLARE: This is one of the things that Education Ministers, Early Education Ministers are going to talk about when we meet next month as well. It was a recommendation out of an independent review that New South Wales did and that it was released last week. One of the things that having a CCTV camera in a child care centre can do is if there’s somebody that’s potentially up to no good, they know the camera’s there. It means it’s less likely that they’re going to act. So, it’s one of the things we’re looking at right now —

    HEATLEY: Or they know which spots aren’t covered by CCTV and will potentially take a child there.

    CLARE: That’s why they have to be in the right places. If deterrence is going to work, how you set them up is just as critical as whether you’ve got them there at all.

    HEATLEY: Minister, there’s been a conversation this week about whether men should be working in child care centres at all. Do you have a view of that?

    CLARE: I was asked this question yesterday and I said, have a look at the Four Corners exposé, which revealed some pretty horrendous examples of physical abuse and neglect in our child care centres. And those examples weren’t men, they were women. This is not just about men or women. Whoever works in our child care centres, we’ve got to make sure that the safety of our system and the quality of our system is up to scratch. We’ve had a Royal Commission, I’ve commissioned a child care safety review, all of the recommendations that come out of that sort of work don’t talk about this. We know what we need to do. They recommend things like CCTV, like improving the Working with Children Check, like a national register of the people who work in our child care centres. They’re the sort of things we need to do. We’ve just got to crack on and do it.

    HEATLEY: Yeah, and there’s already staff shortages. And men can also be excellent role models in education settings, which is important for young children. But ratios are a problem, aren’t they? And there’s just too many kids per educators. And this may potentially allow educators to be on their own with children for long periods of time.

    CLARE: A little bit of good news when it comes to the number of people working in the sector, there are more now than there were three years ago. Part of that is because of the pay rise that’s rolling out now, the 15 per cent pay rise. A couple of years ago, people were leaving the sector in droves because they could get more money working at Bunnings or Woolies. That’s changing. Goodstart, who you mentioned, who are rolling out the CCTV cameras, they’re also seeing a massive uptick in job applications. I think something like 20 or 30 per cent. And across the board, we’re seeing a drop in vacancies of more than 20 per cent. So, more people wanting to work in the sector.

    Another thing that we need to look at here, mate, is the training that people get, both at TAFE and at university and on the job, to make sure that the fantastic people who work in this sector. And I’ve got to tell you, as angry as the parents are who are affected by this, and I know how you know the white hot anger that mums and dads are feeling in Victoria, because one of them is my friend and she’s made it bloody clear to me just how angry and confused she is with what’s happening at the moment. I’m angry too. But the other group of Australians who are furious at the moment are the fantastic people who work in these centres, whose reputations have been affected by what’s happening right now. I take my hat off to them. I know every mum and dad who have children in our centres take their hat off to them as well. The work they do is incredibly important, and we need more of them. We’ve got to make sure that the training that we provide them provides them with the supports they need, not just to do the job and to keep our kids safe, but to identify people at the centre who may be up to no good.

    HEATLEY: Just finally, Minister, Victoria has appointed former Labor Premier Jay Weatherill to lead the state’s child care inquiry, despite facing calls to resign after overseeing a child protection system in disarray in South Australia following a damning royal commission. Is he the right person, do you think? Do you have any view on that?

    CLARE: Look, I’m not interested in who does the work. I’m interested in the work that they do, in the recommendations that come out of this rapid review on the 15th of August. People are interested in action. I strongly support the work that the Victorian Government is doing in rolling out reform as quick as possible. The New South Wales Government is doing that as well. I think most Australians want to make sure that the politicians here, whether it’s state or federal, are working together and that we’re acting as quick as we possibly can. I want to see action. I want to see what comes out of that review.

    HEATLEY: Jason Clare thanks for making time for us today. Really appreciate it. It’s an important issue and we look forward to hearing that progress through Parliament in a few weeks time. Thanks again.

    CLARE: No worries, mate.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: BTC Miner Users Tap to Earn as Bitcoin Surges to $110K — Investors Make Gains from the Couch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Francisco, CA, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin has once again asserted its dominance in the digital asset space, recently breaking through the $110,149.8 mark and signaling renewed investor confidence in its long-term value. As Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and other major cryptocurrencies also ride the wave of bullish momentum, blockchain activity and capital inflows are surging across the board.

    In this climate of opportunity, more investors are turning to low-risk, passive income strategies—and leading the charge is BTC Miner, a next-generation cloud mining platform offering high returns, seamless access, and fully automated daily payouts.

    BTC Miner: Turning Passive Mining Into Reliable High-Yield Income

    Unlike traditional mining setups that require hardware, maintenance, and technical know-how, BTC Miner makes crypto mining accessible to all through cloud-based smart contracts. Users simply register, select a mining contract, and receive stable and remarkably high daily earnings—with no need for physical equipment or technical expertise.

    Contracts are short-term and flexible, ranging from 1 to 13 days, with clear terms and real-time profits. Some options deliver annualized returns exceeding 300%, making BTC Miner one of the most attractive passive earning tools on the market.

    Get $500 Free Mining Power Just for Signing Up

    New users receive $500 worth of cloud mining power upon registration—no deposit required. This bonus can be used to activate real contracts, and all profits generated are 100% yours to keep.

    This feature alone has attracted tens of millions of users from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and beyond. The platform has earned praise for its fast payouts, transparent earnings, and beginner-friendly design.

    Double-Layer Referral Program: 7% + 2% Commissions

    To reward community growth, BTC Miner offers a two-tier affiliate program:

    • Level 1 Bonus – 7%: Earn 7% of every contract purchased by users you refer.
    • Level 2 Bonus – 2%: Also earn 2% from purchases made by people invited by your referrals.

    All referral rewards are credited instantly, with no limits or lock-ups, and can be withdrawn or reinvested freely.

    Fully FCA Registered – Legal and Transparent

    BTC Miner is operated by a UK-registered company that is officially listed under the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Company registration details and credentials are publicly verifiable on the UK government website, making BTC Miner one of the few cloud mining platforms to offer both high returns and regulatory credibility.

    Official Access and Supported Assets

    •  Website: https://btcminer.net
    •  Supported cryptocurrencies: BTC, USDT (TRC20/ERC20), ETH, LTC, USDC, BNB, XRP, DOGE, BCH, SOL, and more.

    A New Era of “Risk-Free” Passive Crypto Income

    As Bitcoin ETFs gain momentum and global monetary policy eases, the crypto landscape is shifting from high-risk speculation toward structured portfolio allocation. BTC Miner provides the ideal gateway for both newcomers and experienced investors to harness blockchain income with zero technical complexity and low barriers to entry.

    Whether you’re looking to grow your holdings or build passive cash flow, BTC Miner transforms cloud mining into a stable, hands-free wealth strategy.

    BTC Miner: Where crypto mining meets real-world simplicity and unmatched rewards.

    Start now at  https://btcminer.net

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BTC Miner Users Tap to Earn as Bitcoin Surges to $110K — Investors Make Gains from the Couch

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Francisco, CA, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin has once again asserted its dominance in the digital asset space, recently breaking through the $110,149.8 mark and signaling renewed investor confidence in its long-term value. As Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and other major cryptocurrencies also ride the wave of bullish momentum, blockchain activity and capital inflows are surging across the board.

    In this climate of opportunity, more investors are turning to low-risk, passive income strategies—and leading the charge is BTC Miner, a next-generation cloud mining platform offering high returns, seamless access, and fully automated daily payouts.

    BTC Miner: Turning Passive Mining Into Reliable High-Yield Income

    Unlike traditional mining setups that require hardware, maintenance, and technical know-how, BTC Miner makes crypto mining accessible to all through cloud-based smart contracts. Users simply register, select a mining contract, and receive stable and remarkably high daily earnings—with no need for physical equipment or technical expertise.

    Contracts are short-term and flexible, ranging from 1 to 13 days, with clear terms and real-time profits. Some options deliver annualized returns exceeding 300%, making BTC Miner one of the most attractive passive earning tools on the market.

    Get $500 Free Mining Power Just for Signing Up

    New users receive $500 worth of cloud mining power upon registration—no deposit required. This bonus can be used to activate real contracts, and all profits generated are 100% yours to keep.

    This feature alone has attracted tens of millions of users from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and beyond. The platform has earned praise for its fast payouts, transparent earnings, and beginner-friendly design.

    Double-Layer Referral Program: 7% + 2% Commissions

    To reward community growth, BTC Miner offers a two-tier affiliate program:

    • Level 1 Bonus – 7%: Earn 7% of every contract purchased by users you refer.
    • Level 2 Bonus – 2%: Also earn 2% from purchases made by people invited by your referrals.

    All referral rewards are credited instantly, with no limits or lock-ups, and can be withdrawn or reinvested freely.

    Fully FCA Registered – Legal and Transparent

    BTC Miner is operated by a UK-registered company that is officially listed under the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Company registration details and credentials are publicly verifiable on the UK government website, making BTC Miner one of the few cloud mining platforms to offer both high returns and regulatory credibility.

    Official Access and Supported Assets

    •  Website: https://btcminer.net
    •  Supported cryptocurrencies: BTC, USDT (TRC20/ERC20), ETH, LTC, USDC, BNB, XRP, DOGE, BCH, SOL, and more.

    A New Era of “Risk-Free” Passive Crypto Income

    As Bitcoin ETFs gain momentum and global monetary policy eases, the crypto landscape is shifting from high-risk speculation toward structured portfolio allocation. BTC Miner provides the ideal gateway for both newcomers and experienced investors to harness blockchain income with zero technical complexity and low barriers to entry.

    Whether you’re looking to grow your holdings or build passive cash flow, BTC Miner transforms cloud mining into a stable, hands-free wealth strategy.

    BTC Miner: Where crypto mining meets real-world simplicity and unmatched rewards.

    Start now at  https://btcminer.net

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Eyewitness account of Rainbow Warrior voyage – new Eyes of Fire edition

    By Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal

    Author David Robie and Little Island Press are about to publish next week a 40th anniversary edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, a first-hand account of the relocation of the Rongelap people by Greenpeace’s flagship Rainbow Warrior in 1985.

    Dr Robie joined what turned out to be the ill-fated voyage of the Rainbow Warrior from Hawai’i across the Pacific, with its first stop in the Marshall Islands and the momentous evacuation of Rongelap Atoll.

    After completing the evacuation of the 320 people of Rongelap from their unsafe nuclear test-affected home islands to Mejatto Island in Kwajalein Atoll, the Rainbow Warrior headed south via Kiribati and Vanuatu.

    After a stop in New Zealand, it was scheduled to head to the French nuclear testing zone at Moruroa in French Polynesia to protest the then-ongoing atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France for decades.

    But French secret agents attached bombs to the hull of the Rainbow Warrior while it was tied up at a pier in Auckland. The bombs mortally damaged the Warrior and killed Greenpeace photographer Fernando Peirera, preventing the vessel from continuing its Pacific voyage.

    The new edition of Eyes of Fire will be launched on July 10 in New Zealand.

    “This edition has a small change of title, Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, and has an extra 30 pages, with a new prologue by former Prime Minister Helen Clark,” Dr Robie said in an email to the Journal.

    “The core of the book is similar to earlier editions, but bookended by a lot of new material: Helen’s Prologue, Bunny McDiarmid’s updated Preface and a long Postscript 2025 by me with a lot more photographs, some in colour.”

    Dr Robie added: “I hope this edition is doing justice to our humanitarian mission and the Rongelap people that we helped.”

    He said the new edition is published by a small publisher that specialises in Pacific Island books, often in Pacific languages, Little Island Press.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Challenges and opportunities: what lies ahead for the world economy?

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Tariffs and geopolitical conflicts have created uncertainty around the world. But how does the new trade environment affect inflation and the economy? How can central banks adapt? And what is the potential impact on the dominance of the US dollar ?

    In the third episode of our special Sintra series of the ECB Podcast, our host Paul Gordon talks to London School of Economics Professor Silvana Tenreyro.

    The views expressed are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the European Central Bank.

    Published on 4 July 2025 and recorded on 1 July 2025.

    In this episode:
    01:30 How is the world economy doing?
    What developments are having an impact on our economy today? And what uncertainties are arising from tariffs, trade fragmentation and armed conflicts in different parts of the world?

    03:30 Tariffs, trade fragmentation and the economy
    How can trade tariffs and fragmentation affect economic growth and inflation in the euro area and beyond?

    06:25 How are prices changing?
    How are prices changing in different countries? Will tariffs cause prices in the United States to rise, and those in Asia and Europe to fall? And why?

    07:55 Lessons for central banks
    Given the extremely high level of uncertainty, what lessons from past shocks can central banks apply in the future? Why do we need clearly defined frameworks? And what role do governments play?

    09:55 How can governments prepare for potential shocks?
    Investing in technologies that are difficult to substitute, diversifying energy sources and creating buffers for critical inputs – why it’s crucial that governments have a strategy to withstand various shocks.

    12:05 What is a dominant currency?
    When is a currency considered internationally “dominant”? And what dominant currencies have there been in the past?

    13:40 Dollar dominance and monetary policy transmission
    Does dollar dominance in international trade transactions reduce the effectiveness of monetary policy?

    17:30 The future of dollar dominance
    How will the dominance of the US dollar develop in the future? Is its role as a primary reserve currency at risk due to the Trump Administration’s policies?

    19:10 What keeps you up at night?
    What happens to our economy if there is a sudden shortage of a certain input? What impact will AI have if it remains largely unregulated? And what do stablecoins and digital currencies mean for our economy?

    21:00 Our guest’s hot tip

    Silvana shares her hot tip with our listeners.

    Further readings:

    Michael McLeay and Silvana Tenreyro: Dollar dominance and the transmission of monetary policy

    Sintra Series episode 1/4: Price stability in times of change

    Sintra Series episode 2/4: Adapting to change: Ensuring price stability in a new geopolitical era

    Silvana’s hot tip: I’m still here/Ainda estou aqui

    ECB Instagram
    https://www.instagram.com/europeancentralbank/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1YYRg69syw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Selection completed for fourth cohort of School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Selection completed for fourth cohort of School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme      
    A total of 814 valid SNDAS nominations were received from 420 secondary schools for the fourth cohort. In the past few months, the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities participating in the Scheme arranged interviews for the nominated students and carefully considered their individual merits. Firm offers were eventually made to 342 nominees prior to the release of the 2025 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results, of which 335 have accepted the offers and will commence study on their chosen UGC-funded undergraduate programmes in September 2025 in a wide spectrum of disciplines including architecture, surveying and town planning, arts and humanities, business, computing and engineering, environmental studies, design, fine arts, language, law, medicine and health, music, sciences and social sciences. A breakdown by study discipline is provided in the Annex.
          
    The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, was pleased to note the encouraging results of the fourth cohort of the SNDAS, in particular the continuing increase in the number of offers made to successful nominees. 
          
         “Talent in diversified skills and knowledge is the key to Hong Kong’s future development. The Government has always placed great emphasis on nurturing young people, striving to enhance the education system and creating diverse opportunities for students to reach their full potential in different areas. I am deeply grateful for the support from secondary schools and universities for the SNDAS, as well as their recognition of students’ multifaceted talents, and for cultivating more future talent for Hong Kong,” Dr Choi said.

    To promote a culture of multifaceted excellence, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has launched the Multi-talent Development Scholarship (MDS) in the 2025/26 academic year, funded by the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries, for admittees of the SNDAS demonstrating outstanding achievements in arts, sports and/or community service on top of the firm offers made under the SNDAS.     
    The SNDAS was introduced in 2021 as part of EDB’s response to the recommendations made by the Task Force on Review of School Curriculum, which included enhancing flexibility in university admissions. The eight UGC-funded universities had designated around 300 publicly funded undergraduate programmes for the fourth cohort of the SNDAS and set admission criteria that are not based on HKDSE Examination results for individual programmes.
    Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Catching a break, gig workers find rest, support in city harbors

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

    After a tiring journey of 600 kilometers, Liu Chunliang pulled into a logistics park and hopped out of his truck. After taking a shower in a nearby building, he enjoyed some hearty dumplings and then had a brief nap in a rest lounge while his truck was being unloaded.

    The building where Liu had the much-needed refreshment is in the Hengdi logistics park in Shanghai’s Jiading District. These facilities have transformed the logistics park from a mere transfer site for goods into a vital rest stop for long-haul drivers such as Liu.

    “I make round trips between Xuzhou and Shanghai eight to ten times a month. There used to be no place for me to get some rest along the way, but now I feel at home here in the park,” said Liu.

    Liu has benefited from a wider array of initiatives implemented by Jiading District to support gig workers in the area. As the gig economy continues to grow across China, cities are responding by establishing rest lounges, offering affordable dining options, and providing skill training for gig workers who play a crucial role in keeping urban life moving.

    The number of flexible workers in China exceeded 265 million in 2024, including 175 million engaged in platform-based gig work, according to an industry report by Hangzhou-based Gongmall, a digital solutions provider for the gig sector.

    They typically work as car-hailing drivers, food delivery riders and long-haul drivers, among other trades. While making life more convenient for residents, these flexible workers often scramble to find facilities to meet their basic needs — whether it is using the bathroom, recharging their mobile phones and electric bikes, or simply taking a moment to rest.

    Jiading District in Shanghai has set up stopover hubs for both car-hailing drivers and food delivery riders. One such hub, located in Zhaqiao Village, offers catering services and rental apartments. Here, car-hailing drivers can take naps in massage chairs while their cars charge outside. The budget-friendly cafeteria even provides meals outside regular dining hours.

    “For meals, I used to grab some buns or snacks in the car, eating when I could and often going hungry. Now, not only do I eat well, but I can also rest properly, so I don’t feel drowsy after long hours of driving,” said driver Wu Yigui, who is dining in the cafeteria.

    The driver from southwest China’s Guizhou Province has also made this service hub his temporary home, renting a shared apartment for 650 yuan (about 91 U.S. dollars) per month — an affordable option in the costly city of Shanghai.

    Food delivery riders have their rest lounges as well. On a typical workday afternoon, Jiang Zhongqiang, a rider for the food delivery platform Ele.me, stopped outside one of these lounges in Jiading. After replacing the battery for his electric bike, he stepped into the lounge, where he refilled his water bottle and plugged in his cell phone to charge while he enjoyed his meal.

    In 2022, the Chinese government issued a guideline aimed at improving gig economy services to boost employment. The country has been focusing on improving welfare for this increasingly significant segment of the workforce in recent years.

    In June, China released guidelines aimed at safeguarding public well-being and addressing the most pressing concerns of the people. These guidelines emphasized the need to improve the social insurance system for flexible workers. They also called for the gradual integration of flexible workers into the housing provident fund system.

    Rest stops for gig workers have proliferated in major cities across China. In Beijing’s Chaoyang District alone, there are 2,912 service stations where the district’s 83,000 flexible workers can recharge between tasks. One such lounge, located in the bustling Shuangjing commercial district, operates around the clock, allowing delivery riders to access it even deep in the night.

    The lounge, run by sub-district government offices, organizes skill training, festival celebrations, and reading activities for gig workers to foster a sense of belonging.

    These efforts extend beyond prosperous metropolises. In northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 2,077 rest stations have been established for gig workers, and their locations are conveniently integrated into navigation apps for easy access. In addition to providing free drinking water, charging and leisure facilities, and medications, the region has also organized free health check-ups for 35,000 gig workers.

    Talking about the rest lounges in Jiading, Zhu Xuguang, an official with the Jiading Branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, said that the rest stops have become a physical and spiritual harbor for the gig workers.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: $22 million to enhance wildlife visitor experiences

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta me Hineahuone, Toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, Toitū te tangata.
    Significant investment into supporting native species and tackling invasive pests in national parks has been announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
    Mr Potaka visited the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust facility near Christchurch today, where he announced $22 million from the International Visitor Levy will go to restoring unique wildlife in national parks, islands and other popular visitor sites over the next three years. 
    Last year, nearly three-quarters of international visitors said they did a hike, walk or tramp while in Aotearoa New Zealand, and around half visited a national park. 
    “Conservation-related tourism is worth around $3.4 billion a year,” says Mr Potaka.
    “By backing conservation and sustainable tourism, the government also boosts our economy. This funding is strategically split between supporting our native species and tackling invasive pests—giving birds, bush, marine life and landscapes respite to recover.
    “We’re putting $4.15 million into expanding predator control, plus $11.5 million on the recovery of highly threatened species, including tara iti, at national parks and popular sites so visitors can enjoy thriving natural areas where their funds have contributed.
    “Almost $7 million will target feral goats which remove the forest undergrowth and prevent regeneration.  
    “People fly here with the dream of enjoying our world-class environment and we want to make that experience even better for them. It’s about generations of whānau camping out and struggling to sleep because of noisy kiwi calling outside; later waking to find only precious footprints. 
    “I’m delighted $1.7 million of this will go towards protecting critically endangered Canterbury locals—kakī/black stilts and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeets. 
    “There are only about 400 of these parakeets in the world. They nest in trees, cared for by both parents – but parent birds are no match for rats and stoats. If these invasive predators are around, eggs and chicks are quickly wiped out. 
    “We want to protect and grow rare species like these so more people can enjoy them at places closer to home like at The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary near Nelson. 
    “Budget 2025 allocates $55 million per annum to DOC for new investments from money raised under the new $100 IVL rate. 
    “New Zealand attracts visitors who care about nature and every cent that goes into conservation is an investment in our environment and our economy.”   
     
    Additional information for editors on the IVL projects:
    Expanding landscape scale predator control ($4.15m over 26/27 and 27/28)
    Additional work in National Parks and priority sites, to grow populations of iconic bird species.     
    The IVL funding will allow DOC to boost predator control operations in 2 or potentially 3 priority areas in response to the beech mast forecast for 2026.    
    Potential locations (triggered by monitoring and need for urgent beechmast response) include: Fiordland, Mt Aspiring, Arthur’s Pass, and Kahurangi National Parks in 26/27.   
    IVL funding will also enable the government to maintain the gains of philanthropic projects, maximising predator control outcomes from the NEXT Foundation investment: e.g. in Abel Tasman, Taranaki Mounga and Predator Free South Westland.   
    Goat management in National Parks and popular visitor areas ($6.9m over 3 years from 25/26) where damage results in visitors experiencing forests with limited understory.  
    Priority locations for focus:   

    Whanganui and Kahurangi National Parks    
    Iconic landscapes of Marlborough.      

    In some places it is viable to eradicate (totally remove) goats, creating huge cost efficiencies over the long-term, and reducing the impact of goats on forests.    
    Priority locations include:    

    Westland Tai Poutini National Park   
    Kaimai Forest Park   
    Nelson Lakes National Park  

    Increasing populations of threatened species in national parks, islands and popular sites ($11.5m over 3 years).  
    While increased weed and predator control will help many threatened species, there are targeted actions needed to ensure recovery of our most threatened and iconic species.    
    Initial focus of the IVL funding will be on the recovery of priority, highly threatened species that occur in national parks and high visitation sites, so that visitors can enjoy thriving natural areas where their funds have contributed.    
    2025/26 IVL funded species include:    

    Fauna: Southern NZ dotterel, kakī, Tara iti, kākāriki karaka, Paparoa giant wētā, Canterbury knobbled weevil, Awakopaka skink, Kakarakau skink, Oligosoma St Arnaud lowland skink.   
    Threatened plants: e.g., Brachyglottis rotundifolia, Solenogyne christensenii, Cardamine mutabilis, Carmichaelia carmichaeliae, Craspedia (Fyfe River).   

    Enhancing biodiversity on islands in popular visitor areas and ensuring appropriate protection is in place for biosecurity on high priority islands. For 2025/26, funding is allocated to the Hauraki Gulf, Marlborough Sounds, Kapiti and Fiordland islands. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Praises House Passage of Reconciliation Bill with Historic RECA Expansion Included

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Thursday, July 03, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) championed the House of Representatives’ passage of the President’s landmark reconciliation legislation, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, in which the senator secured the largest expansion ever of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), as well as an additional $1 billion in funding for Missouri Medicaid providers and recipients.
    Senator Hawley originally called on Congress to compensate victims of government-caused nuclear radiation on July 13, 2023. After nearly two years of negotiations—and two separate passages of RECA packages by the Senate in2023 and 2024—the senator’s hard-fought expansion of RECA now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

    To all the radiation survivors and nuclear veterans across the country: WE DID IT. Today, we have prevailed. Your country thanks you and honors your sacrifice. #MAHA
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 3, 2025

    HUGE WIN for Missouri – after 5 decades, survivors of nuclear radiation will FINALLY be compensated by the government that poisoned them
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 3, 2025
    Senator Hawley’s RECA provision will deliver long-overdue compensation and health care for survivors of radiation-linked cancers in the St. Louis and St. Charles areas, dating back from negligently exposed Manhattan Project waste. This provision will also expand compensation for uranium miners and downwinders in Western states who were exposed to fallout. The larger reconciliation bill will also deliver major relief for working people, such as no taxes on overtime, no taxes on tips, and a larger child tax credit for families. 
    Following negotiations between Senate GOP Leadership and Senator Hawley, the reconciliation legislation includes a new $50 billion fund for rural hospitals. This means that Missouri is set to receive approximately $1 billion in new funding to support providers and Medicaid recipients over the next five years. Senator Hawley also secured the delay of any Medicaid reductions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Avoid bad breath, don’t pick partners when drunk: ancient dating tips to find modern love

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia

    Henryk Siemiradzki via Wikimedia Commons

    To love and be loved is something most people want in their lives.

    In the modern world, we often see stories about the difficulties of finding love and the trials of dating and marriage. Sometimes, the person we love doesn’t love us. Sometimes, we don’t love the person who loves us.

    Ancient Greeks and Romans also had a lot to say about this subject. In fact, most of the issues people face today in their search for love are already mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature.

    So, what did they say? And is the advice they put forward still relevant for modern people?

    Advice for finding a lover

    The Roman poet Ovid (43BCE–17CE) wrote a poem called The Art of Love (Ars Amatoria). In it, he offered advice for those who are still single.

    First, Ovid says, you should make an effort to find someone you’re interested in. Your lover “will not come floating down to you through the tenuous air, she must be sought”.

    As suitable places to find a lover, Ovid recommends walking in porticos and gardens, attending the theatre, or (surprisingly enough) lingering near law courts.

    You need to catch someone’s eye and then invent an excuse to talk with them, he says.

    Seek your lover in the daytime, says Ovid. Be careful of the night. You won’t choose the right person if you’re drunk. And you can’t see their face properly if it’s too dark – they might be uglier than you think.

    Second, Ovid says you need to look presentable. Make sure your clothes are clean and you have a good haircut. Moreover, keep yourself groomed properly at all times:

    Do not let your nails project, and let them be free of dirt; nor let any hair be in the hollow of your nostrils. Let not the breath of your mouth be sour and unpleasing.

    Ovid’s The Art of Love may be regarded as a kind of love manual. But aside from making personal efforts to find a lover, people could also use matchmakers.

    However, matchmaking was a difficult process. Sometimes matchmakers didn’t tell the truth about the situations of the parties involved. So the Athenian writer Xenophon (430–353 BCE) says people were sometimes “victims of deception” in the matchmaking process.

    What if you’re not in love?

    The ancients recognised that not being in love can be a problem. They thought it bad for your mental and physical health, but also for society more broadly.

    For example, the Roman writer Claudius Aelian (2nd–3rd century CE) in his Historical Miscellany says soldiers who are in love will fight better than soldiers who are not in love:

    In the heat of battle when war brings men into combat, a man who is not in love could not match one who is. The man untouched by love avoids and runs away from the man who loves, as if he were an outsider uninitiated into the god’s rites, and his bravery depends on his character and physical strength.

    According to Aelian, the Spartans had a punishment for men who did not fall in love:

    Any man of good appearance and character who did not fall in love with someone well-bred was also fined, because despite his excellence he did not love anyone […] lovers’ affection for their beloved has a remarkable power of stimulating the virtues.

    So, when two people are in love, they can inspire each other and bring out the best in one another. Being in love can help a person become better and achieve more.

    Fighting for and keeping a lover

    If we are lucky, the person we love will also love us back, and we won’t have any love rivals.

    But what happens when the person we love is also loved by someone else? We may need to put in more effort to win the affection of that person, but sometimes this brings us into conflicts.

    For example, the Roman orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE), in his On the Orator, tells how Gaius Memmius, Roman tribune of the year 111 BCE, apparently took a bite out of his love rival’s arm, “when he had a quarrel with him at Tarracina over a girlfriend”.

    Some ways to keep one’s lover interested that are mentioned in ancient sources include showing off one’s wealth.

    For example, in one of the plays of the poet Alexis (375–275 BCE) a young man who is in love puts on a large banquet to impress his girlfriend with a display of wealth. Engagements were at that time sometimes cancelled if it turned out the husband was too poor.

    Of course, things did not always work out, and people had grievances against former lovers. One particularly famous invective was from the poet Martial (38–104 CE) to a woman called Manneia:

    Manneia, your little dog licks your face and lips. Small wonder that a dog likes eating dung!

    Timeless concerns

    Today, we often see debates about whether it’s better to stay single or get into a relationship.

    The same goes for antiquity. In the 4th-century BCE play Arrephoros or The Pipe Girl by poet Menander, one character says:

    If you’ve got any sense, you won’t get married […] I’m married myself – which is why I’m advising you not to do it.

    Others lamented that they missed their opportunity for love. So the poet Pindar (6th–5th century BCE) wrote a poem regretting that he could not make the much younger Theoxenus his boyfriend:

    You should have picked love’s flowers at the right time, my heart, when you were young. But as for the sparkling rays from Theoxenus’ eyes, whoever looks on them and is not roiled with longing has a black heart forged with cold fire out of steel or iron.

    Clearly, finding a lover was as difficult then as it is now.

    Konstantine Panegyres 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. Avoid bad breath, don’t pick partners when drunk: ancient dating tips to find modern love – https://theconversation.com/avoid-bad-breath-dont-pick-partners-when-drunk-ancient-dating-tips-to-find-modern-love-250792

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 4, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 4, 2025.

    Astronomers have spied an interstellar object zooming through the Solar System
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kirsten Banks, Lecturer, School of Science, Computing and Engineering Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology K Ly / Deep Random Survey This week, astronomers spotted the third known interstellar visitor to our Solar System. First detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on July 1, the

    Avoid bad breath, don’t pick partners when drunk: ancient dating tips to find modern love
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia Henryk Siemiradzki via Wikimedia Commons To love and be loved is something most people want in their lives. In the modern world, we often see stories about the difficulties of finding love and the

    Back to Back Theatre tackles an epic Shakespearian conflict – set in a factory, with cardboard props
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Senior Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jeff Busby/Back To Back Theatre/ACMI Back to Back Theatre is one of Australia’s national treasures. Over 30 years this dynamic Geelong-based company – an ensemble of actors who are perceived to have intellectual disabilities – has built

    Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa J. Whop, Associate Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Yardhura Walani, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australian National University Thurtell/Getty Images Australia’s lung cancer screening program launched on July 1, and marks real progress and opportunity. It aims to reduce the

    Lost in space: MethaneSat failed just as NZ was to take over mission control – here’s what we need to know now
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Rattenbury, Associate Professor in Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Environmental Defense Fund, CC BY-SA This week’s announcement of the loss of a methane-detecting satellite, just days before New Zealand was meant to take over mission control, is a blow to the country’s space research

    Rare wooden tools from Stone Age China reveal plant-based lifestyle of ancient lakeside humans
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bo Li, Professor, Environmental Futures Research Centre, School of Science, University of Wollongong Excavation at the Gantangqing site. Liu et al. Ancient wooden tools found at a site in Gantangqing in southwestern China are approximately 300,000 years old, new dating has shown. Discovered during excavations carried out

    I’ve seen the brain damage contact sports can cause – we all need to take concussion and CTE more seriously
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Health Science, Swinburne University of Technology AAP Image/The Conversation, CC BY Concussion in sport continues to make headlines, whether it be class actions, young men flocking to the highly violent “RunIt” activity or debate about whether Australian rules football

    NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Another week, another Cook Strait ferry breakdown. As the winter maintenance season approaches and the Aratere prepares for its final months of service, New Zealand faces a self-imposed crisis. The government

    Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Sen Gupta, Associate Professor in Climate Science, UNSW Sydney Izabela23/Shutterstock The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that

    6 simple questions to tell if a ‘finfluencer’ is more flash than cash
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitrios Salampasis, Associate Professor, Emerging Technologies and FinTech | FinTech Capability Lead, Swinburne University of Technology Oleg Golovnev/Shutterstock Images of flashy sports cars. Lavish lifestyle shots. These are just some of the red flags consumers should watch out for when they turn to social media for financial

    Grattan on Friday: how two once hot-button issues this week barely sparked media and political interest
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Political and news cycles often work in a certain and predictable way. Issues flare like bushfires, then rage for weeks or even months, until they are finally extinguished by action or fade by being overtaken by the next big thing.

    How many serious incidents are happening in Australian childcare centres? We don’t really know
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Catherine Delahaye/ Getty Images This week, a Melbourne childcare worker was charged over alleged sexual abuse of young children in his care. Families are justifiably appalled and furious – with 1,200 children urged to be

    Too much vitamin B6 can be toxic. 3 symptoms to watch out for
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Selena3726/Shutterstock Side effects from taking too much vitamin B6 – including nerve damage – may be more widespread than we think, Australia’s medicines regulator says. In an ABC report earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Therapeutic Goods

    Too much vitamin B6 can be toxic. 3 symptoms to watch out for
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Selena3726/Shutterstock Side effects from taking too much vitamin B6 – including nerve damage – may be more widespread than we think, Australia’s medicines regulator says. In an ABC report earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Therapeutic Goods

    10 steps governments can take now to stamp out child sexual abuse in care settings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Mathews, Distinguished Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Recent cases of prolific alleged child sexual abuse in Melbourne and other Australian early childhood education and care settings have shocked even experienced people who work to prevent child sexual abuse. Parents are right to be

    Tears, trauma and unpaid work: why men in tinnies aren’t the only heroes during a flood disaster
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca McNaught, Research Fellow, Rural and Remote Health, University of Sydney Dan Peled/Getty Images When flooding strikes, our screens fill with scenes of devastated victims, and men performing heroic dinghy rescues in swollen rivers. But another story often goes untold: how women step in, and step up,

    The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grace McQuilten, Professor of Art and Associate Dean, Research and Innovation, School of Art, RMIT University Creative Australia’s decision earlier this year to rescind the selection of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s 2026 representatives at the Venice Biennale sent shockwaves through the arts

    The Rainbow Warrior saga: 1. French state terrorism and NZ’s end of innocence
    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate. Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue

    Does eating cheese before bed really give you nightmares? Here’s what the science says
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Gupta, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia Phoenixns/Shutterstock, The Conversation, CC BY Have you heard people say eating cheese before bed will cause you to have vivid dreams or nightmares? It’s a relatively common idea. And this week, a new study

    Experiencing extreme weather and disasters is not enough to change views on climate action, study shows
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney STR / AFP via Getty Images Climate change has made extreme weather events such as bushfires and floods more frequent and more likely in recent years, and the trend is

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 4, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 4, 2025.

    Astronomers have spied an interstellar object zooming through the Solar System
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kirsten Banks, Lecturer, School of Science, Computing and Engineering Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology K Ly / Deep Random Survey This week, astronomers spotted the third known interstellar visitor to our Solar System. First detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on July 1, the

    Avoid bad breath, don’t pick partners when drunk: ancient dating tips to find modern love
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia Henryk Siemiradzki via Wikimedia Commons To love and be loved is something most people want in their lives. In the modern world, we often see stories about the difficulties of finding love and the

    Back to Back Theatre tackles an epic Shakespearian conflict – set in a factory, with cardboard props
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Senior Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jeff Busby/Back To Back Theatre/ACMI Back to Back Theatre is one of Australia’s national treasures. Over 30 years this dynamic Geelong-based company – an ensemble of actors who are perceived to have intellectual disabilities – has built

    Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa J. Whop, Associate Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Yardhura Walani, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australian National University Thurtell/Getty Images Australia’s lung cancer screening program launched on July 1, and marks real progress and opportunity. It aims to reduce the

    Lost in space: MethaneSat failed just as NZ was to take over mission control – here’s what we need to know now
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Rattenbury, Associate Professor in Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Environmental Defense Fund, CC BY-SA This week’s announcement of the loss of a methane-detecting satellite, just days before New Zealand was meant to take over mission control, is a blow to the country’s space research

    Rare wooden tools from Stone Age China reveal plant-based lifestyle of ancient lakeside humans
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bo Li, Professor, Environmental Futures Research Centre, School of Science, University of Wollongong Excavation at the Gantangqing site. Liu et al. Ancient wooden tools found at a site in Gantangqing in southwestern China are approximately 300,000 years old, new dating has shown. Discovered during excavations carried out

    I’ve seen the brain damage contact sports can cause – we all need to take concussion and CTE more seriously
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Health Science, Swinburne University of Technology AAP Image/The Conversation, CC BY Concussion in sport continues to make headlines, whether it be class actions, young men flocking to the highly violent “RunIt” activity or debate about whether Australian rules football

    NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Another week, another Cook Strait ferry breakdown. As the winter maintenance season approaches and the Aratere prepares for its final months of service, New Zealand faces a self-imposed crisis. The government

    Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Sen Gupta, Associate Professor in Climate Science, UNSW Sydney Izabela23/Shutterstock The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896. But it wasn’t until the 1950s that

    6 simple questions to tell if a ‘finfluencer’ is more flash than cash
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dimitrios Salampasis, Associate Professor, Emerging Technologies and FinTech | FinTech Capability Lead, Swinburne University of Technology Oleg Golovnev/Shutterstock Images of flashy sports cars. Lavish lifestyle shots. These are just some of the red flags consumers should watch out for when they turn to social media for financial

    Grattan on Friday: how two once hot-button issues this week barely sparked media and political interest
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Political and news cycles often work in a certain and predictable way. Issues flare like bushfires, then rage for weeks or even months, until they are finally extinguished by action or fade by being overtaken by the next big thing.

    How many serious incidents are happening in Australian childcare centres? We don’t really know
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Catherine Delahaye/ Getty Images This week, a Melbourne childcare worker was charged over alleged sexual abuse of young children in his care. Families are justifiably appalled and furious – with 1,200 children urged to be

    Too much vitamin B6 can be toxic. 3 symptoms to watch out for
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Selena3726/Shutterstock Side effects from taking too much vitamin B6 – including nerve damage – may be more widespread than we think, Australia’s medicines regulator says. In an ABC report earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Therapeutic Goods

    Too much vitamin B6 can be toxic. 3 symptoms to watch out for
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Selena3726/Shutterstock Side effects from taking too much vitamin B6 – including nerve damage – may be more widespread than we think, Australia’s medicines regulator says. In an ABC report earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Therapeutic Goods

    10 steps governments can take now to stamp out child sexual abuse in care settings
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Mathews, Distinguished Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Recent cases of prolific alleged child sexual abuse in Melbourne and other Australian early childhood education and care settings have shocked even experienced people who work to prevent child sexual abuse. Parents are right to be

    Tears, trauma and unpaid work: why men in tinnies aren’t the only heroes during a flood disaster
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca McNaught, Research Fellow, Rural and Remote Health, University of Sydney Dan Peled/Getty Images When flooding strikes, our screens fill with scenes of devastated victims, and men performing heroic dinghy rescues in swollen rivers. But another story often goes untold: how women step in, and step up,

    The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grace McQuilten, Professor of Art and Associate Dean, Research and Innovation, School of Art, RMIT University Creative Australia’s decision earlier this year to rescind the selection of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s 2026 representatives at the Venice Biennale sent shockwaves through the arts

    The Rainbow Warrior saga: 1. French state terrorism and NZ’s end of innocence
    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate. Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue

    Does eating cheese before bed really give you nightmares? Here’s what the science says
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Gupta, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia Phoenixns/Shutterstock, The Conversation, CC BY Have you heard people say eating cheese before bed will cause you to have vivid dreams or nightmares? It’s a relatively common idea. And this week, a new study

    Experiencing extreme weather and disasters is not enough to change views on climate action, study shows
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney STR / AFP via Getty Images Climate change has made extreme weather events such as bushfires and floods more frequent and more likely in recent years, and the trend is

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s letter to session of All-China Youth Federation, congress of All-China Students’ Federation

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Full text of Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to session of All-China Youth Federation and congress of All-China Students’ Federation

    Xinhua | July 3, 2025

    The following is the full text of Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to a session of the All-China Youth Federation and a congress of the All-China Students’ Federation.

    On the opening of a plenary session of the 14th committee of the All-China Youth Federation and the 28th national congress of the All-China Students’ Federation, I would like to extend, on behalf of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, warm congratulations and greetings to young people and young students of all ethnic groups and from all sectors of life across the country, as well as to young Chinese overseas!

    Over the past five years, under the Party’s leadership and assistance and guidance of the Communist Youth League, youth and student federations at all levels have performed their duties and played a proactive role, organizing and mobilizing young people and students to follow the Party, strive hard to make progress and contribute their strength. This reflects the positive ethos of the Chinese youth in the new era.

    In the drive to advance the building of a strong country and the realization of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, there is much young people can achieve. The broad masses of youth should consciously respond to the call of the Party and the people, maintain firm ideals and convictions, cultivate a deep love for the country, bravely shoulder their historic mission, and strive to write a vibrant chapter of youth that demonstrates courage and responsibility.

    Party organizations at all levels should strengthen their leadership over youth work, care for and support the work of youth and student federations, as well as foster favorable conditions for young people and students to develop in a healthy manner and make achievements. Youth and student federations should adhere to the right political direction, deepen reform and innovation, and, under the leadership of the Party, further unite and lead young people and students in forging ahead on the new journey and accomplishing new achievements.

    Xi Jinping

    July 2, 2025

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CWA Statement on President Trump’s Shameful Budget

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    Search News

    The following statement is from Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr.

    Members of the House and Senate who voted to pass President Trump’s budget should be ashamed of themselves. The budget is a giveaway to their billionaire backers and an insult to working people, who will not be fooled by the self-serving rhetoric of the President and Congressional Republican leadership.

    Seventeen million Americans will lose their health care and millions more will see their costs increase. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities, particularly in rural areas, will close. Millions of working people, including thousands of CWA members, will lose their jobs as essential programs are cut to fund the abduction of our co-workers and neighbors by masked gunmen. Meanwhile, corporations will send record profits to Wall Street thanks to huge tax breaks and incentives to send even more jobs overseas.

    This fight is not over. People from every Congressional District in our country spoke out in opposition to this terrible bill. As we celebrate our country’s beginnings, we rededicate ourselves to its founding principles. We will organize, mobilize, and vote to make sure that our government works for all people, not just the very rich who are using their wealth to control our politics.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Memoriam: Wes Hildreth, 1938-2025

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Wes receiving a Meritorious Service Award in 2004.

    Wes was born on August 17, 1938, in Newton, MA, and lived most of his early life in the Boston and San Francisco Bay areas. He studied at Harvard, where he majored in geology with a minor in government (BA, 1961). Receiving a Harvard Sheldon Fellowship, he traveled around the world alone in 1961-62. In 1963, he drove his Volkswagen van to Panama and back. After two years at Harvard graduate school in international affairs, he withdrew, alienated by bitterness over the Vietnam War. Between 1966 and 1970, Wes was a National Park Service naturalist at Muir Woods, Glacier Bay, Grand Canyon, Olympic, and Death Valley national parks.  

    Wes returned to graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1970, intending to map Precambrian stratigraphy in Death Valley. Instead, he met Prof. Ian Carmichael and soon found himself studying igneous petrology and volcanology in an exceptionally fruitful environment with talented fellow students, including his future wife, Gail Mahood (geology professor at Stanford University). That period was characterized by the advent of precise and comprehensive trace-element analyses, the transformation from wet chemistry to X-ray fluorescence, and from mineral picking to the then still-primitive electron microprobe. Wes’s 1977 PhD on the Bishop Tuff ignited a global interest in large-scale silicic volcanism and magmatism that continues undiminished. He joined the USGS in 1977, where he remained a research leader for his whole career.  

    The many outstanding features of Wes’s productive career reflect his intertwined interests in mapping volcanoes and understanding large-scale magmatic processes. He combined the two (with a sometimes-intimidating gravitas) through numerous intensive, field-focused studies mostly in the U.S. and Chile. For more than 45 years, he did so with Judy Fierstein, an indefatigable field collaborator and the artistic talent behind their many geologic maps. Their work made heavy use of USGS analytical facilities and was made possible by the high-quality geochronology provided by the USGS argon dating laboratory.  

    Several facets of Wes’s research, often made with U.S. and international collaborators, stand out:  

    • Wes’s petrologic study of the rhyolitic Bishop Tuff, pioneering in its detail and comprehensiveness, challenged models for generating wide ranges in trace-element abundances in the erupted products. After what Wes himself referred to as “…the wild-goose chase of Soret effects in magma chambers,” his subsequent comparisons with other ignimbrites and related plutonic systems and the efforts of many other workers led to what has become widely known as the “mush model,” which is now a central paradigm for the generation of silicic magmas.  
    • Turning to the ultimate driver of silicic magmatism, Wes recognized the fundamentally basaltic nature of most continental crustal magmatism and developed enduring concepts for what are now termed trans-crustal magmatic systems. His original 1981 concepts were further developed in 1988 to outline (using Chilean examples) the roles of crustal thickness and deep crustal processes (the MASH model) in the generation of arc magmas.  
    • At the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field, Wes and his colleagues were the first to document the contrast between the narrow ∂18O range in the ignimbrites and the much lighter isotopic values of the earliest post-collapse lavas. His interpretation, that meteoric water was involved, initiated much research on the role of hydrothermally altered crust in the origins of low-d18O rhyolites and influenced the understanding of upper crustal silicic magma bodies.  
    • Studies of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in Alaska yielded fundamental insights into how a complicated volcanic plumbing system beneath Novarupta and Katmai caldera led to a remarkable diversity of magmas erupting in the 1912 eruption.  
    • Wes’s contribution to the 1986 geologic map of the island of Pantelleria in Italy stands as the most detailed study of a peralkaline rhyolite volcanic center. It remains an important contribution to understanding the physical volcanology of low-viscosity felsic magmas and their associated calderas, as well as the chronology of volcanic ashes across the Mediterranean.  
    • Late in his career Wes turned to his love of basic field geology and stratigraphy and published compelling studies on the landscape evolution of eastern Sierra Nevada, including the geology and geomorphology of the Long Valley Caldera region, the evolution of the Owens River gorge, and the nature and timing of development of the eastern Sierra Nevada escarpment.  
    • A major legacy of Wes’ productive career at the USGS are the detailed geologic maps and descriptions of volcanic histories for Mount Adams, Mount Baker, Three Sisters, and Simcoe Mountains in the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon; Mammoth Mountain and Long Valley Caldera in eastern California; Katmai in Alaska; Quizapu-Descabezado and Laguna del Maule in Chile, and Pantelleria in Italy. In Wes’s words: “I’ve emphasized on-foot authentic geologic mapping of blank spots on the map, largely in wilderness or otherwise uninhabited areas.”  

    Wes received wide recognition and awards during his career, including Fellow of the Geological Society of America (1985), Fellow (1995) and Bowen Award (1985) from the American Geophysical Union, Thorarinsson Medalist of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (2004), and a Meritorious Service Award from the Department of the Interior (2004). Wes and Judy Fierstein jointly received the 2019 Florence Bascom Mapping Award from the Geological Society of America. In response to the award, Wes noted that it “celebrated what I love doing best.”  

    Wes was an avid reader and maintained a broad knowledge of global affairs, which was seeded by his travels through the Harvard Sheldon Fellowship. To colleagues, he offered three-thousand-year perspectives on the roots of conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. Before starting fieldwork each day, he scrutinized and read aloud portions of the daily academic commentary on current domestic affairs.  

    Wes was also a lifelong runner. He ran cross-country for the Harvard Crimson, and he finished in 29th place in the 1960 Boston Marathon. While traveling the world on the Sheldon Fellowship, he spent two months training at an immersion running camp in Australia. Between 1955 and 1972, Wes competed in the Dipsea Race for a grueling 12 km over the flank of Mt. Tamalpais, just north of San Francisco. On June 6, 2025, just two weeks before his death, Wes was inducted into the Dipsea Foundation Hall of Fame. In his acceptance speech, he said, “Distance running can be as much a lifestyle as a competitive sport. At age 87, I still hit the road for an hour every day – 365 days – slower every year, but the mentality and fitness support my geological day job,” and “there’s a spiritual component – the freedom of the hills – the simple gift of communion with the landscape.”  

    Wes was an outstanding geologist who had broad interests, including aspects of regional geology well outside of his recognized specialties in volcanology and igneous petrology. His insights and contributions have been of the highest quality and promise to last over time. At the time of his death, Wes was still carrying out work in the Sierra Nevada, the Mono Basin, the Cima volcanic field (all in California), and the Mina volcanics in western Nevada near where he died. His body of work, meticulously detailed, authoritatively stated, and contained within beautifully written papers, remains as an enduring memorial to his creativity, knowledge, and influence.  

    Contributed by: Charlie Bacon, Andy Calvert, Judy Fierstein, Shaul Hurwitz, Jake Lowenstern, Tom Sisson (all USGS Volcano Science Center), Gail Mahood (Stanford University), and Colin Wilson (Victoria University, NZ) 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ARENA backs Hunter Valley renewable hydrogen project with $432 million

    Source: Ministers for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

    Overview

    • Category

      News

    • Date

      04 July 2025

    • Classification

      Hydrogen energy

    Orica’s Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub is set to receive up to $432 million in grant funding as the second recipient of ARENA’s Hydrogen Headstart Program.

    Orica’s Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub (HVHH) will produce renewable hydrogen using a 50-megawatt electrolyser powered by renewable electricity. This hydrogen will replace natural gas in Orica’s ammonia production process, helping to reduce carbon emissions.

    ARENA CEO Darren Miller said that hydrogen has an important role to play in decarbonising heavy industry, particularly where electrification isn’t possible or where other alternatives are limited or don’t exist.

    “Renewable hydrogen is an important decarbonisation lever for applications like ammonia production where hydrogen has traditionally been produced with fossil fuels.”

    “By replacing natural gas-derived hydrogen with clean, renewable alternatives, projects like Orica’s are helping to decarbonise core industrial processes while preserving domestic manufacturing and unlocking new export opportunities,” said Mr Miller.

    “ARENA’s Hydrogen Headstart program is designed to fast-track Australia’s renewable hydrogen industry by supporting large-scale projects that are finding ways to reduce emissions, strengthen industrial competitiveness and position the nation as a global leader in clean energy exports. Orica’s project is a great example of what’s possible.”

    The project represents a major step in decarbonising Orica’s existing Kooragang Island Ammonia Manufacturing Facility and producing low-carbon ammonia and ammonium nitrate for domestic use across mining, agriculture and industrial sectors.

    As part of the funding process, Orica must now work with ARENA to satisfy a number of conditions and demonstrate its ability to meet a range of contractual milestones before the funding is released. Funding under this program is paid based on actual production volumes over a 10-year operating period.

    Orica’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Sanjeev Gandhi said: “We’re grateful for this crucial support, which brings us closer to realising the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub and advancing the decarbonisation of our Kooragang Island facility – a site we’ve proudly operated for over fifty years. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with ARENA and other Federal and State government agencies to support the transition of Orica’s Kooragang Island manufacturing facility and help shape a cleaner, more resilient future for the Hunter region.”

    This project follows the announcement of the first recipient of Hydrogen Headstart, with $814 million allocated to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ (CIP) 1,500 MW Murchison Green Hydrogen Project in Western Australia. With both projects now announced, Hydrogen Headstart Round 1 has now concluded.

    To date, ARENA has allocated $370 million to 65 renewable hydrogen projects from early-stage research to deployment.

    To find out more about Orica’s project, visit: Hunter Valley Hydrogen Project | Home

    Consultation for Round 2 of Hydrogen Headstart is now open. For more information, visit Round 2 funding page.

    ARENA media contact:

    media@arena.gov.au

    Download this media release (PDF 151KB)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PLASKETT AND MOYLAN INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ESTABLISH CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE ON TERRITORY VOTING RIGHTS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
    July 3, 2025                                                    202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    PLASKETT AND MOYLAN INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ESTABLISH CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE ON TERRITORY VOTING RIGHTS

    Washington, DC – Today—July 3, 2025—Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands) and Congressman James Moylan (R-Guam), introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a fifteen-member Congressional Task Force to develop a report on a path for Voting Rights for United States Citizen Residents of Territories, which will be terminated upon issuing its report to Congress. The announcement comes on Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, underscoring the historical significance of expanding democratic participation for all Americans.

    This legislation builds upon the framework established by House Democrats in the 116th and 117th Congresses in the For the People Act – when the Task Force provision received broad bipartisan support. The Task Force is structured to maintain bipartisan representation from both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

    “Today, on Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we take a critical step toward addressing one of the most glaring inequities in our democracy. The timing of this announcement honors the historic significance of July 3, 1848, when enslaved people in the Danish West Indies—now the U.S. Virgin Islands—gained their freedom, marking a pivotal moment in the fight for equal rights and representation.” said Congresswoman Plaskett.

    “More than 3.5 million Americans living in U.S. territories are denied the fundamental right to vote for President and lack full representation in Congress. The last five territories of the United States remain in a perpetual limbo status with no path to full inclusion for residents. Congress has a constitutional responsibility for the territories, and this legislation will provide an avenue for Congress to examine access to the ballot for its residents and address this democratic deficit,” Plaskett continued.

    “Territories proudly send their sons and daughters in harm’s way to serve in our Armed Forces at higher rates than the States. Yet, we cannot vote for our Commander-in-Chief, nor vote in the House of Representatives, nor have our voices heard in the Senate,” Congressman Moylan stated. “The task force we are seeking to establish would study the long-term effects that this has and what barriers there are to voting representations. It is important that we look at how we can guarantee American citizens in the Territories have a seat at the table.”

    “As Congressman Moylan shared, residents of our territories serve in the armed forces in disproportionate numbers but cannot vote for their Commander in Chief. This Task Force takes vital steps to address the inclusion of residents of the U.S. Territories, where millions of Americans currently lack equal representation and equal voting power. We cannot continue to accept second-class citizenship for Americans based solely on their geographic location.” Plaskett emphasized.

    “I would like to thank Congressman Moylan for his partnership in co-leading this legislation and invite my colleagues to join us in our fight for fundamental fairness and ensuring that all Americans have a voice in their government, regardless of which territory or state they call home,” Plaskett concluded.

    Background

    The fifteen-member Congressional Task Force will be appointed by congressional leadership from both parties to ensure bipartisan representation. The Task Force is required to provide a status update to Congress 180 days after enactment and submit a comprehensive report within one year examining impediments to voting rights in territories and recommended changes for full and equal representation. The Task Force has authority to hold hearings, consult with territorial governments, and utilize existing congressional resources before terminating upon submitting its final report.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges US to stop advancing so-called Taiwan-related act: Spokesperson

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

    China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and stop advancing the so-called Taiwan-related act, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

    Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on the adoption of the so-called “Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act” by the U.S. House of Representatives, requiring the U.S. government to support China’s Taiwan region in joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Mao stressed that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China.

    Taiwan has no basis, reason or right to participate in the United Nations or other international organizations, whose membership is confined to sovereign states, Mao noted.

    China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, observe the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop advancing the so-called Taiwan-related act, stop using the Taiwan question to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and stop sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s e-bike trade-in program sees robust production, sales in first half of 2025

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

    Customers apply for trade-in subsidy from the government at a cashier in Fuyang, Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 31, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s electric bicycle trade-in program has driven a boom in both production and sales, played an active role in expanding consumption, benefited livelihoods and promoted safety, according to the Ministry of Commerce on Thursday.

    In the first six months of 2025, on average, sales of electric bicycles through the trade-in program across the country increased by 113.5 percent month on month, He Yongqian, spokesperson for the ministry, told a press conference.

    By the end of June, a total of about 8.47 million new electric bicycles had been sold to replace old ones across the country, which is 6.1 times that of 2024. Sales in Jiangsu, Hebei and Zhejiang provinces all exceeded 1 million units, while in each of 16 other provincial-level regions including Anhui and Shandong, sales exceeded 100,000 units, He said.

    During the same period, the total sales value reached about 24.77 billion yuan (about 3.46 billion U.S. dollars), 6.6 times that of last year. About 8.4 million buyers across the country enjoyed subsidies under the favorable policy, according to the spokesperson.

    The ministry’s data also shows that the industry benefits from robust production and sales under the trade-in program. In the first half of this year, the output of the top 10 brands of electric bicycles increased by 27.6 percent year on year.

    Meanwhile, a total of 82,000 sales stores participated in the trade-in program, most of which were small and micro enterprises and individual merchants. On average, it increased the sales of each store by 302,000 yuan, according to the industry.

    The program, which sees old electric bicycles traded in for new ones, has also ensured the safety of electric bicycle industries and consumers, according to the spokesperson. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to replicate Shanghai pilot FTZ measures nationwide

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

    China will replicate 77 pilot measures from the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in other FTZs and across the country, among efforts to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules and advance high-level institutional opening-up, according to a State Council circular released on Thursday.

    The measures span seven key areas: services trade, goods trade, digital trade, intellectual property protection, government procurement reform, behind-the-border management systems reform, and risk prevention and control.

    Of the overall package, 34 measures will be extended to other FTZs across the country, including those related to innovation in digital-yuan application scenarios, optimized cross-border fund management for multinational corporations, and data-export negative list mechanisms.

    The remaining 43 measures will be implemented nationwide, covering cross-border electronic payment applications, commercial encryption certification recognition, data security management certification, government data transparency, and digital government procurement platforms.

    The initiative builds on a November 2023 plan that positioned the Shanghai pilot FTZ as a pioneer in aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, establishing it as a national demonstration zone for institutional opening-up.

    After more than a year of pilot testing, Shanghai has developed leading and landmark institutional innovations and valuable best practices, the circular said.

    Authorities are instructed to implement these measures based on local conditions, prioritizing those most urgently needed by businesses and the public, with the aim of extending the benefits of institutional innovation to broader areas.

    The circular emphasized that these efforts support China’s strategy of leveraging high-level institutional opening-up to drive deeper reforms and high-quality development. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Landmark effort launched at Beijing conference to democratize digital processes

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

    .

    As the digital economy reshapes societies, a critical question emerges: how can its benefits move beyond privileged tech hubs to empower cities everywhere?

    At the 2025 Global Digital Economy Conference in Beijing, more than 40 partner cities spanning Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America answered by launching the Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance (DEC40) — a landmark effort to democratize digital processes.

    While 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) advance rapidly, infrastructure gaps and governance challenges exclude billions, especially in developing nations. DEC40 directly tackles it by institutionalizing multilateral cooperation on cross-border data rules, ethical AI and smart city solutions — frameworks essential for inclusive growth.

    This photo taken on July 2, 2025 shows a sign of the Global Digital Economy Conference 2025 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

    CHINA’S ROLE AS CATALYST

    “Technologies from industry and academia need multilateral platforms to become true ‘digital public goods,’” stressed Zhao Houlin, former secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, at the conference running from Wednesday to Saturday.

    China’s practical models, showcased through DEC40, offer scalable blueprints: The digital governance platform of the city of Beijing streamlines administrations, serving 500,000 civil servants. Its Level-4 autonomous vehicles logged 170 million km, a replicable testbed for global urban mobility.

    “Urban development in the digital era requires not just technological breakthroughs, but also new ideas for governance and stronger international cooperation,” said Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. “We are ready to share our practice and provide a ‘Beijing Solution.’”

    “These innovations will be shared through the DEC40 platform to help other cities, especially in developing countries, adopt adaptable technology solutions,” Jiang added.

    Under DEC40, Beijing has a preliminary plan to implement three major initiatives. Over the next three years, the Chinese capital aims to provide digital infrastructure planning and consulting services to 100 cities in developing countries, train 100 city-level digital governance officers, and jointly build 10 demonstration projects in smart agriculture and digital healthcare.

    Beijing has already established connections with cities in countries such as Angola and Tajikistan, and the first training course for 50 officials is expected to be launched this year.

    Looking ahead, Rakhimova Durdona Shukurrullayevna, deputy mayor of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, believed that cooperation with Beijing will help ensure every resident shares in digital dividends.

    This photo taken on April 17, 2025 shows a China-developed WeRide Robobus (front) operating at an airport in Zurich, Switzerland. (Xinhua)

    PRIVATE SECTOR’S CROSS-BORDER IMPACT

    Beyond government-led efforts, Chinese private companies are also expanding their global footprint in the digital economy and taking their digital expertise to the world stage.  

    Chinese autonomous driving leaders like Pony.ai and WeRide now operate across more than eight countries, from Paris to Riyadh, contributing to local job creation in operations and tech support.

    “Our expansion attracts global suppliers to invest locally, building industrial clusters,” said Peng Jun, Pony.ai co-founder and chief executive officer.

    And benefits go beyond factories. According to Zhang Yuxue, WeRide’s director of PR and marketing, local partnerships have also led to job creation in areas such as fleet management and technical support.

    As Chinese autonomous driving firms gain global traction, collaboration with global players is deepening. Uber, for instance, has teamed up with WeRide and Pony.ai to integrate Chinese-developed autonomous driving technologies into its ride-hailing platform, starting with pilot operations in the Middle East.

    “It’s clear that the future of mobility will be increasingly shared, electric and autonomous,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “We look forward to working with Chinese leading autonomous vehicle companies to help bring the benefits of autonomous technology to cities around the world.”

    Co-organized with the UN Development Program, the Global Digital Economy Conference signals that “digital inclusion is now a shared governance imperative.” As Beate Trankmann, resident representative of the United Nations Development Program in China, underscored, collective action turns tech potential into “tangible human benefits.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa J. Whop, Associate Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Yardhura Walani, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australian National University

    Thurtell/Getty Images

    Australia’s lung cancer screening program launched on July 1, and marks real progress and opportunity.

    It aims to reduce the number of people dying from lung cancer by offering regular low-dose CT scans to people who smoke, and those who have quit. The aim is to detect and treat cancer early before it has spread.

    But the program’s design may further disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are disproportionately affected by lung cancer.

    So Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years risks entrenching health inequities rather than addressing them.

    Lung cancer is a particular burden

    Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are 2.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 1.8 times likely to die from it, compared with non-Indigenous Australians.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are also more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer at a younger age than non-Indigenous Australians.

    Understanding the broader context of lung cancer risk among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is crucial.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been paid in tobacco rations rather than wages up until the 1960s, excluded from economic and health systems, and targeted by tobacco industry marketing.

    Indigenous-led tobacco control and quit-smoking programs, such as the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, have made significant progress in reducing smoking rates. Indigenous communities are leading the resistance against tobacco industry harms.

    However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face major barriers to lung cancer screening. This is particularly in rural and remote areas where access to GPs, radiology services and culturally safe care is limited.

    Lung cancer screening should account for this

    Initially, the lung cancer screening program was designed with a lower screening age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – 50 years compared with 55 years for non-Indigenous Australians. This made sense in the face of the earlier and higher risk of lung cancer.

    However, the Medical Services Advisory Committee, the body responsible for assessing applications for public funding, removed this risk-based distinction. Now there’s a general age eligibility of 50-70 years.

    This is a shift from equity (fairness) to equality (sameness). In health, treating everyone equally deepens inequities.

    By contrast, many public health programs strive for equity and reflect the differing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For instance, heart health checks and many vaccines are offered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at a younger age.

    There are also possible consequences of lowering the screening age for non-Indigenous Australians from 55 (as originally intended) to 50. Cancer Australia’s report warned this would not provide a favourable balance of benefits and harms, nor would it be cost-effective.

    In this lower-risk population, this could increase the likelihood of detecting slow-growing lung nodules unlikely to cause harm. This can lead to unnecessary tests and procedures, anxiety, psychological distress, overtreatment and even harm.

    While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can also experience these potential harms, the higher risk of lung cancer earlier means the potential benefit from early detection outweighs these risks.

    Let’s call it for what it is – structural racism

    So current eligibility criteria expands the eligibility for lower risk groups. Yet it ignores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ higher risk and cumulative impacts of remoteness, limited access to health services and other health conditions.

    This decision significantly increases the number of people accessing the program. While this may appear equal on the surface, it risks a misallocation of limited health system resources, particularly in an already overstretched health system.

    That’s a clear example of structural racism – when policies that seem neutral actually uphold longstanding inequities, and reinforce disadvantages.

    This has parallels with concerns raised in the United States. Screening guidelines there have been criticised for failing to account for higher rates of lung cancer in African Americans.

    What should we do next?

    If we’re serious about a commitment to equity in cancer outcomes – as outlined in the Australian Cancer Plan and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan – we must ensure screening policies do not inadvertently widen inequities.

    We must revisit who’s eligible for screening and how eligibility is determined. This may mean not only considering age and smoking history, but other factors such as a family history of cancer.

    It might also mean predicting lung cancer risk using models such as the PLCOm2012 risk prediction model. However, this particular model has not been validated in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which needs to be a priority.

    Instead, the Medical Services Advisory Committee has prioritised the same screening age for all – administrative simplicity over this more sensitive way of assessing risk.

    We must prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on screening waitlists and follow-up, and strengthen the cultural safety of services.

    We must ensure robust data collection and reporting to evaluate the screening program. Evaluation needs to assess if the program delivers equitable access and outcomes, as well as delivering on effectiveness, safety and cost.

    All these actions are essential to address the higher burden of lung cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and uphold equity and the right to health over administrative simplicity.

    This is the final article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

    More information about the program is available, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. If you need support to quit smoking, see your doctor or call Quitline on 13 78 48.

    Lisa J. Whop has received funding from Australian government National Health and Medical Research Council, Cancer Australia, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Whop is the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group of Cancer Australia and has been an investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia. The views in this article are their own.

    Alison Brown has been a co-investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia.

    Raglan Maddox has received funding from Australian government National Health and Medical Research Council, Cancer Australia, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Maddox has been an investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia. The views in this article are their own.

    – ref. Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned – https://theconversation.com/australias-new-lung-cancer-screening-program-has-chosen-simplicity-over-equity-and-were-concerned-253614

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa J. Whop, Associate Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Yardhura Walani, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australian National University

    Thurtell/Getty Images

    Australia’s lung cancer screening program launched on July 1, and marks real progress and opportunity.

    It aims to reduce the number of people dying from lung cancer by offering regular low-dose CT scans to people who smoke, and those who have quit. The aim is to detect and treat cancer early before it has spread.

    But the program’s design may further disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are disproportionately affected by lung cancer.

    So Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years risks entrenching health inequities rather than addressing them.

    Lung cancer is a particular burden

    Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are 2.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 1.8 times likely to die from it, compared with non-Indigenous Australians.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are also more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer at a younger age than non-Indigenous Australians.

    Understanding the broader context of lung cancer risk among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is crucial.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been paid in tobacco rations rather than wages up until the 1960s, excluded from economic and health systems, and targeted by tobacco industry marketing.

    Indigenous-led tobacco control and quit-smoking programs, such as the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, have made significant progress in reducing smoking rates. Indigenous communities are leading the resistance against tobacco industry harms.

    However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face major barriers to lung cancer screening. This is particularly in rural and remote areas where access to GPs, radiology services and culturally safe care is limited.

    Lung cancer screening should account for this

    Initially, the lung cancer screening program was designed with a lower screening age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – 50 years compared with 55 years for non-Indigenous Australians. This made sense in the face of the earlier and higher risk of lung cancer.

    However, the Medical Services Advisory Committee, the body responsible for assessing applications for public funding, removed this risk-based distinction. Now there’s a general age eligibility of 50-70 years.

    This is a shift from equity (fairness) to equality (sameness). In health, treating everyone equally deepens inequities.

    By contrast, many public health programs strive for equity and reflect the differing needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For instance, heart health checks and many vaccines are offered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at a younger age.

    There are also possible consequences of lowering the screening age for non-Indigenous Australians from 55 (as originally intended) to 50. Cancer Australia’s report warned this would not provide a favourable balance of benefits and harms, nor would it be cost-effective.

    In this lower-risk population, this could increase the likelihood of detecting slow-growing lung nodules unlikely to cause harm. This can lead to unnecessary tests and procedures, anxiety, psychological distress, overtreatment and even harm.

    While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can also experience these potential harms, the higher risk of lung cancer earlier means the potential benefit from early detection outweighs these risks.

    Let’s call it for what it is – structural racism

    So current eligibility criteria expands the eligibility for lower risk groups. Yet it ignores Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ higher risk and cumulative impacts of remoteness, limited access to health services and other health conditions.

    This decision significantly increases the number of people accessing the program. While this may appear equal on the surface, it risks a misallocation of limited health system resources, particularly in an already overstretched health system.

    That’s a clear example of structural racism – when policies that seem neutral actually uphold longstanding inequities, and reinforce disadvantages.

    This has parallels with concerns raised in the United States. Screening guidelines there have been criticised for failing to account for higher rates of lung cancer in African Americans.

    What should we do next?

    If we’re serious about a commitment to equity in cancer outcomes – as outlined in the Australian Cancer Plan and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan – we must ensure screening policies do not inadvertently widen inequities.

    We must revisit who’s eligible for screening and how eligibility is determined. This may mean not only considering age and smoking history, but other factors such as a family history of cancer.

    It might also mean predicting lung cancer risk using models such as the PLCOm2012 risk prediction model. However, this particular model has not been validated in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which needs to be a priority.

    Instead, the Medical Services Advisory Committee has prioritised the same screening age for all – administrative simplicity over this more sensitive way of assessing risk.

    We must prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on screening waitlists and follow-up, and strengthen the cultural safety of services.

    We must ensure robust data collection and reporting to evaluate the screening program. Evaluation needs to assess if the program delivers equitable access and outcomes, as well as delivering on effectiveness, safety and cost.

    All these actions are essential to address the higher burden of lung cancer among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and uphold equity and the right to health over administrative simplicity.

    This is the final article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

    More information about the program is available, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. If you need support to quit smoking, see your doctor or call Quitline on 13 78 48.

    Lisa J. Whop has received funding from Australian government National Health and Medical Research Council, Cancer Australia, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Whop is the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group of Cancer Australia and has been an investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia. The views in this article are their own.

    Alison Brown has been a co-investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia.

    Raglan Maddox has received funding from Australian government National Health and Medical Research Council, Cancer Australia, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Maddox has been an investigator on lung cancer screening consultation projects funded by Cancer Australia. The views in this article are their own.

    – ref. Australia’s new lung cancer screening program has chosen simplicity over equity, and we’re concerned – https://theconversation.com/australias-new-lung-cancer-screening-program-has-chosen-simplicity-over-equity-and-were-concerned-253614

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –