NewzIntel.com

Category: Trade

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump to impose 100% tariff on all movies ‘produced in foreign lands’

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is authorizing to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100 percent tariff on all movies “produced in Foreign Lands.”

    In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death.”

    “Other Countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States. Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated,” Trump said in the post, calling the situation “a National Security threat.”

    “Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100 percent Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands. WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!” he added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xinjiang reports over 44M tourist visits in Q1

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

    Xinjiang reports over 44M tourist visits in Q1

    Xinhua | April 29, 2025

    This photo taken on May 14, 2024 shows a view of Tekes County in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Lai Yuning/Xinhua)

    China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region received a total of 44.63 million tourist visits in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, up 9.08 percent year on year, according to the regional culture and tourism department on Monday.

    During the period, local cultural and tourism authorities at all levels launched multiple initiatives to boost the cultural sector and the tourism market. Tourist spending reached 49.25 billion yuan (about 6.84 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 12.58 percent.

    More than 21,600 public cultural activities were held in Q1, benefiting over 8.24 million people. The 2025 Xinjiang Cultural Tourism Industry Trade Expo and the 6th Xinjiang Spring Tourism Expo held in March attracted over 2,000 exhibitors and 45,000 visitors, resulting in 3.65 billion yuan in signed contracts.

    In May, more than 200 cultural and tourism events will be held across Xinjiang. Nearly 300 promotional policies, including discounted or free entrance tickets and special offers on dining and accommodation, will be introduced to further stimulate consumption and boost market vitality, said Zhang Ruihua, an official with the regional culture and tourism department.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Pilot FTZs in China’s coastal regions unwaveringly deepen opening up

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

    As China marks the 10th anniversary of establishing three pilot free trade zones (FTZs) in its coastal regions, the country has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to deepening reform and advancing high-level opening up.

    Over the past decade, the pilot FTZs in Tianjin municipality and provinces of Guangdong and Fujian have yielded numerous achievements in institutional innovation, trade facilitation and industrial development.

    EXPERIMENTAL POLICIES

    In the Nansha area of the Guangdong pilot FTZ, citizens and tourists can hail a self-driving vehicle, which runs across the district populated by about a million residents.

    Pony.ai, a Chinese autonomous driving technology developer, set up its research and development center in Nansha in 2017, the year after its establishment. At the time, China had yet to introduce policies on autonomous driving. With the pilot FTZ’s policies, Guangzhou chose to pioneer and experiment with drafting regulations, paving the way for the legalization of autonomous vehicle road testing.

    The policies of pilot FTZs have benefited both domestic and international businesses.

    In response to the needs of airlines and maintenance enterprises, authorities in the Tianjin pilot FTZ have tailored and introduced bonded maintenance policies, enabling aviation companies worldwide to enjoy more convenient services for both routine maintenance and passenger-to-cargo conversions in the pilot FTZ.

    Under the previous customs rules, aircraft conversions required prepayment of import duties and a deposit of approximately 10 million yuan (about 1.39 million U.S. dollars), which would be refunded about six months after the completion of the three-month conversion process. At the same time, maintenance companies had to lease warehouses in a bonded zone for parts storage.

    However, since 2019, the Tianjin pilot FTZ’s bonded maintenance initiative has removed the deposit requirement, enabling foreign aircraft to be serviced in this zone without upfront capital expenditure.

    This initiative saves the aircraft maintenance company Tianjin Haite Aircraft Engineering Co., Ltd. approximately 50,000 yuan a month in warehouse rental costs, as it can now store maintenance components in its own facility. “Our overseas revenue has soared from 2 million U.S. dollars in 2019 to 15.5 million U.S. dollars in 2025, thanks to the zone’s bonded maintenance policy,” said Li Han, the company’s deputy general manager.

    The Fujian pilot FTZ has also implemented multiple experimental policies to boost cross-border trade, including streamlining the administrative approval process, shortening the customs clearance period, and granting equal treatment to domestic and foreign enterprises.

    Taking customs clearance as an example, Fujian has offered one-stop customs clearance services for companies in the pilot FTZ areas, which allows them to apply for customs clearance without docking the vessels. The policy has reduced logistics costs by 28 percent and improved customs clearance efficiency by 30 percent on average.

    Zhongjing Petrochemical Group Co., Ltd., a polypropylene producer located in the Fuzhou area of the Fujian pilot FTZ, requires substantial production materials imported from overseas each year. Under the traditional customs declaration model, vessels must wait for the declaration and inspection of all cargo before unloading, incurring daily port stay-over costs of up to 360,000 yuan per vessel.

    The local customs authority conducted on-site research and tailored a “compartmentalized declaration and inspection upon unloading” supervision model. This has resulted in an average reduction of one day in the operational cycle for individual vessels.

    Huang Min, deputy general manager of the company, said the new customs measures have improved the efficiency of their raw material turnover by nearly 30 percent. “This is particularly crucial for bulk hazardous materials such as propane, which have high demands for storage and transportation timeliness.”

    The optimization of the customs clearance process ensures continuous operation of production lines. “This year, we plan to expand our production capacity and anticipate importing approximately 2.6 million tonnes of propane and other materials, with the new model expected to save us over 20 million yuan in port stay fees,” Huang said.

    DEEPENING OPENING UP

    “The three pilot FTZs have comprehensively deepened reform and led high-standard opening up with high-level modern industrial clusters,” Meng Huating, a commerce ministry official, told a press conference last week.

    The Guangdong pilot FTZ has seen its total trade volume surge from approximately 110 billion yuan in 2015 to around 740 billion yuan in 2024, achieving an average annual growth rate of over 24 percent. The Fujian pilot FTZ has 138,000 newly established enterprises, 8.8 times the number before its establishment. The official said that the Tianjin counterpart has attracted an average annual utilization of foreign investment exceeding 2 billion U.S. dollars, contributing more than 40 percent of the city’s total actual foreign investment while occupying just 1 percent of its land area.

    In the Qianhai and Shekou areas of the Guangdong pilot FTZ, authorities have been attracting more global talent as a move to drive deeper opening up.

    To solve their work and living problems, global professionals can visit the Qianhai International Talent Hub, a one-stop center offering 700 government and business services, including streamlined visa and work permit processing.

    The hub has also launched an “In Qianhai” online portal, which has provided employment information, business policies and other customized support for 48,000 people.

    To make financial activities more convenient, the Tianjin pilot FTZ has established over 3,000 Free Trade (FT) accounts to bolster cross-border trade and investment for domestic and international enterprises, with transaction volume surpassing 1.15 trillion yuan.

    Previously, companies needed to have multiple accounts and go through intricate processes — including currency conversion — to procure foreign goods. FT accounts now enable direct payments in Chinese currency, renminbi, and foreign currencies through a unified account, offering flexible financing solutions and competitive onshore-offshore exchange rates.

    Bank of China has customized financial products by integrating FT accounts with local specialized industries, such as leasing and shipping logistics, providing one-stop services like online freight settlement, asset trading and cross-border financing.

    “FT accounts streamline cross-border transactions, reduce costs and enhance returns for businesses,” said Sun Yong, vice president of the bank’s Tianjin branch.

    With a global eye, the Xiamen pilot FTZ area in Fujian has been facilitating more convenient trade by taking advantage of its coastal location with ports and shipping facilities.

    The area is endeavoring to build a hub connecting the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, while building an interconnected economic corridor. So far, 122 shipping routes named after the “Silk Road Maritime” have been opened, linking 46 countries and 145 ports.

    To date, China has set up 22 pilot FTZs. In 2024, they attracted 28.25 billion dollars of foreign direct investment in actual use, accounting for 24.3 percent of the country’s total, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    China established its first pilot FTZ in Shanghai in 2013, with the major mission of trialing transformative reforms in government functions, the country’s financial system, trade services, foreign investment and taxation, and pilot policies that could later be applied across the country.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ-EU trade deal delivers export growth

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The early entry into force of the New Zealand–European Union Trade Agreement (FTA) is paying off, with Kiwi goods exports to the EU surging by 28 per cent during the first year. 

    “In the last 12 months our goods exports to the EU surged from $3.8 billion to over $4.8 billion,” Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says.

    “This is good news for all New Zealanders, especially our sheep farmers, kiwifruit growers and machinery exporters. Sheep meat was up 29 per cent adding an additional $216 million, kiwifruit has increased by 69 per cent contributing a further $316 million, and machinery was up an impressive 104 per cent providing $173 million more compared to the previous year.

    “Strengthening ties with trading partners is crucial to growing the New Zealand economy and driving up incomes for Kiwis. Better market access, lower costs, and fewer trade barriers with the EU are key to delivering the Government’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports in 10 years.”

    The NZ-EU FTA removed 91 per cent of duties on New Zealand exports immediately, climbing to 97 per cent after seven years. Wine, seafood, and a range of other products are also benefiting from significant tariff reductions.

    “Our growing network of trade agreements means exporters now have more choices about where to sell their world-class products,” Mr McClay says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia can no longer take a ‘business as usual’ approach to the US. On security, it’s time for courage and confidence

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide

    The re-election of the Albanese Labor government by such a wide margin should not mean “business as usual” for Australia’s security policy.

    The global uncertainty instigated by US President Donald Trump means Australia’s security landscape is very different today from when Labor was first elected in 2022, or even when its Defence Strategic Review was released in 2023.

    As we argue in our recent book, the Albanese government faces increasingly difficult questions.

    How can we maintain our critical security alliance with the US while deepening partnerships with other countries that have reservations about US policy?

    And, given Trump’s recent actions, how much can we continue to rely on the United States and what are the potential costs of the alliance?

    With a massive parliamentary majority, the new government has an opportunity for bold thinking on national security. This is not the time for Australia to keep its head down – we need to face the rapidly changing world with our heads held high.



    Read more:
    Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Trump 2.0 is not the same as 1.0

    We do not advocate Australia step away from the US alliance. We are also realistic that decades of defence procurement mean Australia is heavily reliant on US defence materiel (and its subsequent sustainment) for our security.

    The deep interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the US military is something alliance sceptics too readily gloss over: much Australian military capability cannot function without ongoing American support.

    At the same time, many alliance advocates underestimate the impact of the new challenges we face. Some assumed a continuity between the first and second Trump administrations. However, we are not convinced the lessons learned from Trump 1.0 are still valid.

    A key difference between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 is the effect of his move away from respecting international law.

    For example, the US has voted with Russia against UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Ukraine war, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, and damaged relations with NATO allies, among many other actions.

    As a middle power, Australia has long relied on the “rules-based order” to advance its foreign and strategic policy interests.

    Even if “normal transmission” resumes under a new US president in 2029, we are concerned the Trump administration’s structural changes to the international order will not easily be wound back. American soft power has been decimated by cuts to the US State Department, USAID and international broadcasting services. This will also not be rebuilt quickly.

    A second difference is there are few “adults left in the room” in the Trump administration.

    The advisers who kept Trump in check during his first administration have been replaced by loyalists less likely to push back against his ideas and impulses. This includes his long-held grievance that allies have been exploiting the US.

    The Albanese government needs to think more deeply about how to hedge against dependence on the US. This means investing in relations with other partners, especially in Asia and the Pacific, and working with them to promote the laws, rules and norms that maintain stability and predictability in global affairs.

    An idealistic vision for the future

    We are also concerned that many in the national security community base their policy recommendations on the assumption that war between the US and China is inevitable, and such a conflict could draw in Australia as America’s ally.

    Rather, the Trump administration’s preference for “deals” opens the possibility the US and China might come to an arrangement that will affect US presence and leadership in our region.

    Australia may not be prepared for this. The new government must engage in more open discussion about how we would maintain our security if the US does pull back from the region or makes decisions Australians don’t support.

    As a start, we need to consider how Australia can better pursue self-reliance within the alliance structure. We need a range of strategic options in the future that don’t rely on an outdated image of the US as a reliable partner.

    This debate should be guided by what we call “pragmatic idealism”.

    Rather than accepting the way things are, the government and members of the national security community need to re-imagine how things can be.

    We argue the Albanese government should draw confidence from its thumping electoral win to articulate a politics of hope, opportunity and possibility for our future security. This needs to drown out the cynicism, passive acceptance and learned helplessness that often characterises Australian national security debates.

    We are conscious that being “idealistic” is often dismissed as impractical, naïve “wishful thinking”. But the new government needs to demonstrate to Australians it has the courage to face the diverse, interlinked and complex security challenges we face – potentially on our own. These extend to issues such as cyber attacks, transnational crime and climate change.

    Practical steps

    As a first step, the Albanese government urgently needs to commission an integrated National Security Strategy that considers all the tools of statecraft Australia can use to respond to these challenges.

    This means engaging more with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In particular, Australia should consider investing more heavily in information programs and public diplomacy as the US withdraws from this arena.

    The government must also engage better with the public and be more transparent about its security options and decisions.

    On AUKUS, for instance, the government must build its “social licence” from the public to sustain such a massive deal across generations. Australians need to be better informed about – and consulted on – the decisions they will ultimately pay for.

    This also includes being upfront with Australians about the need for greater defence spending in a tumultuous world.

    It is understandably tempting for the new Albanese government to continue a “small target” when it comes to the US. This has meant minimising domestic debate about the alliance that could undermine support for AUKUS and avoid risking the ire of a thin-skinned Trump.

    But the government needs the courage to ask difficult questions and imagine different futures.

    Joanne Wallis receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the government of South Australia. She is a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

    Rebecca Strating receives funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    – ref. Australia can no longer take a ‘business as usual’ approach to the US. On security, it’s time for courage and confidence – https://theconversation.com/australia-can-no-longer-take-a-business-as-usual-approach-to-the-us-on-security-its-time-for-courage-and-confidence-255598

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Rally held in Tokyo on Japan’s Constitution Day to honor peace, oppose war

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

    Nearly 40,000 peace-seeking Japanese participated in a rally in a park in Tokyo on Constitution Memorial Day on Saturday, calling for honoring the country’s pacifist constitution and opposition to war and arms expansion.

    Many Japanese lawmakers, scholars and citizens were invited to speak at the rally, with many participants holding banners and placards such as “Oppose arms expansion” and “Love the Constitution and safeguard world peace!” to express their firm support for the concept of peace.

    The current Constitution of Japan was enacted in 1947 and is known as the pacifist postwar constitution, in which Article 9 renounces war and bans the country from maintaining land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential.

    For decades, Article 9 has been a fundamental constraint on Japan’s military endeavors. However, in recent years, the Japanese government has taken steps such as lifting the ban on collective self-defense and updating three security and defense-related documents, which have caused grave concern among the public.

    Senior officials from opposition parties called for not allowing the Diet, the country’s parliament, to propose constitutional amendments, while underscoring the need to protect peace, lives, livelihoods and human rights by utilizing the current constitution.

    Tomoko Tamura, head of the Japanese Communist Party, pointed out in her speech that the Japanese government’s series of actions have essentially incorporated the Self-Defense Forces into the U.S. military command system, adding that Japan should promote peace diplomacy in East Asia free from war concerns in accordance with the Constitution and build a broader framework for dialogue and cooperation.

    Ex-Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official Shigeaki Koga said the world is undergoing profound changes and Japan should adhere to the spirit of peace embodied in its constitution. He stressed that Japan should break away from its dependence on certain countries and rebuild diplomatic relations based on people-to-people exchanges and understanding, noting that only through dialogue can confrontation be resolved and peace maintained.

    Emeritus Manabu Sato of the University of Tokyo criticized the current Japanese government’s military expansion policy as being contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and questioned the huge defense expenditure. He believes that war-renouncing Article 9 has brought long-term peace to Japan after the war, and the government should give priority to using resources for education, people’s welfare and the improvement of social structure.

    The rally attracted a large number of young people and families. A mother who brought her children to the rally told Xinhua: “I hope my children can grow up in an environment free from the threat of war. As a parent, I have the responsibility to pass on this concept.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND: TRUMP & RFK JUST FIRED ANOTHER 16 HEALTH PROGRAM DOCS & SCIENTISTS, STUNTING WORLD TRADE CENTER HEALTH PROGRAM; SENATORS DEMAND NY GOP MEMBERS OF CONGRESS USE THEIR BUDGET VOTE AS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer & Gillibrand Say NY GOP House Members Have Political Leverage To Restore 9/11 Health Program If They Deny Trump Their Budget Vote; Senators Have Built WTCHP & Funded It; GOP Being Played Since April While Heroes Suffer 
    The World Trade Center Health Program Provides Services For Roughly 137,000 Sickened 9/11 First Responders & Other Survivors & Heroes Across Nation; Trump Admin Keeps Playing Games With Staff, The Program – And The People Who Need Care; Schumer Says This Must End NOW  
    Schumer, Gillibrand To NY House GOP: Find The Courage The 9/11 Heroes Had To End This Chaos By Using Your Leverage Over Budget
    U.S. Senator Schumer alongside U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the Trump administration is at it again: attacking the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP). Yesterday, President Trump and RFK fired an additional 16 medical staff who help keep the WTCHP program alive at NIOSH.
    Schumer said this torrent of chaos must and – and that New York GOP House members have real leverage to end this negligence by using their budget vote and forcing the President to back off on his attacks at the WTCHP. The senators said that this chaos is a dereliction of duty by the federal government, a disservice that must be reversed, so that the 9/11 health program, its staff, the federal government and the amazing medical professionals can all do their jobs: save lives. Schumer and Gillibrand said that they will not rest until this chaos is over.  
    “Since the Trump administration started, more than a quarter of the WTCHP staff are now gone,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “It is revolting that President Trump and Secretary Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, fired even more staffers yesterday at NIOSH, critical doctors and scientists who have dedicated their lives to helping these sick people and many others. None of these cuts have anything to do with efficiency. This is MAGA extremism pure and simple and it hurts our brave first responders and others who risked life and limb on 9/11, who rushed to the towers. These people are suffering. They’re getting cancers from the chemicals they breathed in when they ran to the towers to help protect us, and now they have to deal with this assault again, and again, and again. How vicious, how nasty, how callous.”
    Schumer, today, demanded New York GOP House members use their upcoming budget vote that President Trump so badly needs as leverage to end this negligence, restore the critical medical staff at WTCHP, NIOSH and help these heroes.
    “This political chaos is jeopardizing the healthcare of heroes. The NY House members in Congress must find the courage the 9/11 heroes had and use their leverage on the President as it relates to the budget, and join Senator Gillibrand and I to fix this mess now, because if these members haven’t realized it yet: they’re being played by the President,” Schumer added.
    “Cutting staff critical to the operation of the World Trade Center Health Program will devastate our ability to care for sick first responders and survivors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Once again, President Trump is betraying the heroes who stepped up and risked their lives in one of our nation’s darkest hours. It’s an outrageous betrayal of ‘never forget,’ and I will not rest until these un-American decisions are reversed.”
    “The continued cuts to the WTC Health Program staff by the Trump Administration are a true disaster and place in peril the lives and health of every responder and survivor that rely on this program for their care. The delays in care these egregious actions are causing are reprehensible,” said Gary Smiley of FDNY EMS Local 2507, Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics & Fire Inspectors WTC Liaison.
    “Our community is very literally sick and tired and as Fannie Lou Hamer once put it, also “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” We’re tired of the Trump Administration and Secretary Kennedy’s lies.  We’re tired of having to trot our chronically ill onto stages to prove our suffering and attempt to humanize our losses and we’re tired of the constant mismanagement of the law for which we all fought so hard. 800 of our sick survivors and first responders couldn’t get certified in April because of the harm RFK Jr. has caused and we’re sick of it!” said Mariama James, WTCHP participant.
    “The World Trade Center Health Program must be made whole, it must be fully funded and this program must stay off the table for any future cuts,” said Sean Michael, FDNY Battalion Chief, Uniformed Fire Officers Association Board Member.
    Schumer and Gillibrand urged a once-and-for-all end to playing political football with the WTCHP because it saves lives and it is already lean. The senators said that this chaos is a dereliction of duty by the federal government, a disservice that must be reversed, so that the 9/11 health program, its staff, the federal government and the amazing medical professionals can all do their jobs: save lives. Schumer and Gillibrand said that they will not rest until this chaos is over.
    The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) provides critical medical treatment, research, and monitoring to over 137,000 responders and survivors of the September 11th terrorist attacks, living in every state and nearly every Congressional district. The WTCHP serves first responders and survivors from the World Trade Center and lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This vital program provides life-saving care to the heroes who answered the call to serve in one of our nation’s darkest hours and the survivors who are forced to live with the health consequences from the attacks every single day. 
    Schumer and Gillibrand worked to establish the WTCHP on a bipartisan basis in 2011 with a five-year authorization to provide medical treatment and monitoring for 9/11 responders and survivors suffering from the effects of the toxins at Ground Zero. They worked to reauthorize the program in 2015 and extended through 2090 with bipartisan support. In 2022, Schumer and Gillibrand delivered $1 billion for the WTCHP in the end-of-year spending bill, and in 2023, they secured an additional $676 million for the program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Review of decision-making criteria in the Bail Act

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 05/05/2025

    The ACT Government is inviting feedback on potential reforms to the Bail Act 1992.

    Today ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne MLA will be releasing a discussion paper Review of decision-making criteria in the Bail Act 1992. The discussion paper’s purpose is to assist with the development of legislation to modernise the ACT’s bail laws. The most recent significant reforms to the Bail Act were in 2004.

    Minister Cheyne said that bail is one of the most challenging and complex elements of the criminal justice system because it contemplates what limitations are put on someone’s liberty when they have not been convicted of an offence.

    “The step we are taking today is not a reflection that our bail laws are flawed, but it is recognition that the legislation is complex, difficult to follow, and will benefit from a review against the latest evidence and observations about how it is operating,” Minister Cheyne said.

    Whether bail is granted or not is based on an assessment that a decision-maker has made about the level of risk a person poses, and whether that risk can be managed if the person is in the community.

    The Bail Act is the framework for that risk assessment. It provides detail about what must be considered—and what may be considered—in undertaking the risk assessment and in making the decision.

    “Ultimately, we want the decision-maker to have regard for all of the relevant information available to them so that their risk assessment is the most informed it can be. The discussion paper is seeking feedback on what information the decision-maker should be taking into account,” Minister Cheyne said.

    The discussion paper sets out a potential decision-making framework for a risk assessment to be undertaken through the lenses of the interests of the victim, the interests of the accused, and the interests of community safety and justice integrity.

    “The better informed the decision, the greater likelihood there is for persons who present the greatest risk to be managed appropriately, for detention to be limited where it is unnecessary, and for any conditions applied to someone released on bail to be appropriate for the circumstances and level of risk.

    “Importantly, we want the broader community to have an understanding of and confidence in what is being taken into account when a decision is made about whether bail is granted, and, where it is granted, how that information is informing any conditions that are placed on a person to manage that risk,” Minister Cheyne said.

    Community and stakeholder feedback is sought on the discussion paper until Friday, 13 June. The discussion paper will be available online later today at www.yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/bail-reform.

    – Statement ends –

    Tara Cheyne, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: RSA – Hurricanes Donate Jerseys to Support New Zealand’s Veterans

    Source: RSA

     

    Following their hard-fought victory over the Brumbies in Canberra last month, the Hurricanes have demonstrated that their strength extends beyond the rugby pitch.

     

    In a meaningful gesture, all 23 jerseys worn by Hurricanes players during the DHL Super Rugby Pacific’s Anzac Round have been donated to the RSA. The aim is to help generate funds in support of New Zealand’s military veterans and their whānau. Each jersey, featuring the RSA’s iconic red poppy, has been personally signed by the player who wore it.

     

    RSA National President Sir Wayne Shelford expressed deep gratitude for the Hurricanes’ ongoing generosity.

     

    “Time and again, the Hurricanes prove they’re not just fierce competitors but compassionate community leaders. Last year’s jersey auction raised more than $11,000 for our support services, and we’re truly thankful to have the chance to raise even more this year.”

     

    Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the alignment between the two organizations’ values.

     

    “We’re proud to support the RSA and the crucial work they do for our veterans,” said Lee. “Giving back is a big part of who we are as a club. Connection and humility are two values we hold dear, and the RSA’s Poppy—such a powerful national symbol—will always be worn with honour by our team.”

     

    The jerseys are listed for sale on auction site Trade me and close on Thursday 8 May and can be viewed here:https://rnzrsa.info/TMstore

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 262-271 – REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the screening of foreign investments in the Union and repealing Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council – A10-0061/2025(262-271)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 262-271
    REPORT
    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the screening of foreign investments in the Union and repealing Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council
    (COM(2024)0023 – C9-0011/2024 – 2024/0017(COD))
    Committee on International Trade
    Rapporteur: Raphaël Glucksmann

    Source : © European Union, 2025 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 272-276 – REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the screening of foreign investments in the Union and repealing Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council – A10-0061/2025(272-276)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 272-276
    REPORT
    on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the screening of foreign investments in the Union and repealing Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council
    (COM(2024)0023 – C9-0011/2024 – 2024/0017(COD))
    Committee on International Trade
    Rapporteur: Raphaël Glucksmann

    Source : © European Union, 2025 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Strengthening India-Belgium Partnership: Shri Piyush Goyal Meets Belgian Minister of Foreign Trade Mr. Theo Francken and Minister-President of Flanders Mr. Matthias Diependaele

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 7:55PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, held a productive meeting in Brussels on 2nd May 2025 with Belgian Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Mr. Theo Francken and Minister-President of the Flanders region Mr. Matthias Diependaele to strengthen the Indo-Belgian partnership across trade, technology, investment, and innovation. This engagement follows the March 2025 visit of HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium to India, where her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the shared ambition to unlock new avenues for collaboration in trade, technology, defence, agriculture, life sciences, innovation, skilling and academic exchanges. The over 300-member Belgian Economic Mission, led by Princess Astrid, infused fresh momentum into this dynamic bilateral relationship. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to building on this momentum to forge resilient, future-focused ties that enhance mutual growth and contribute to a more integrated global economic framework.

    The discussions highlighted growing economic synergies and focused on scaling bilateral trade, fostering industrial collaboration, and deepening investments in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, clean energy, defence production, and pharmaceuticals.The Flanders region, recognized as Belgium’s economic engine, was highlighted as a critical partner with its advanced manufacturing ecosystem, R&D infrastructure, and its strategic role as a European gateway. With India already the world’s fastest-growing major economy and widely expected to remain so over the next two decades ahead—driven by a young, aspirational population and a dynamic reform-oriented environment—the growth story presents an unprecedented opportunity for India and Belgium.

    The two sides reaffirmed their shared vision of mutual prosperity and resilient economic cooperation amidst evolving global challenges. Minister Goyal reflected on India’s transformative economic journey over the past decade, emphasizing reforms that have empowered citizens and entrepreneurs alike. “The last eleven years have not only been about economic upliftment, but about enabling aspirations,” he stated.

    The meeting also reviewed progress in EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, with both parties recognizing the need to address tariff and non-tariff barriers to enhance market access. Minister Goyal reiterated India’s position as a trusted and long-term economic partner for Europe’s growth, remarking, “India is not just a market of the future—it is a collaborator of trust.”

    Belgium remains one of India’s most significant economic partners in Europe. It is India’s 5th largest trading partner within the EU, with bilateral trade reaching USD 15.07 billion in 2023–24. Belgian FDI in India has totaled USD 3.94 billion from April 2000 to September 2024, including a remarkable 39% growth—USD 1.1 billion—in the past year alone. Bilateral cooperation spans a wide array of sectors including defence manufacturing, green hydrogen, nano-electronics, nuclear medicine, and pharmaceutical R&D, reflecting the expanding depth and strategic nature of the Indo-Belgian economic relationship. Both sides agreed to strengthen high-level engagements and facilitate regular visits by business delegations to accelerate trade and investment outcomes.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayana

    (Release ID: 2126845) Visitor Counter : 56

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: APEDA mulls Export Growth Strategy for Agri and Processed Foods, calls stakeholders for a Chintan Shivir

    Source: Government of India

    APEDA mulls Export Growth Strategy for Agri and Processed Foods, calls stakeholders for a Chintan Shivir

    Govt committed to reducing logistical barriers and enhancing market access for Indian agri and processed food products: Shri Sunil Barthwal, Secretary Department of Commerce

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 1:20PM by PIB Delhi

    Government is committed to reducing logistical barriers and enhancing market access for Indian agri and processed food products. This was stated by Shri Sunil Barthwal, Secretary Department of Commerce, in his address at a high-level Chintan Shivir organized by Agricultural & Processed Food Products Authority(APEDA) in New Delhi.

    Shri Barthwal pointed out that “Academia and Research institutions must be a part of multisectoral consultations so that Research and Development can be a major focus for innovation and sustainability in agri exports.” He emphasised that, agricultural production and productivity both are the need of the hour. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to further deliberate on the ideas and strategies discussed during the sessions.

    The consultative dialogue brought together senior officials from the Union Government, Central Ministries, representatives from State Governments, policy experts, industry leaders from Agri trade and Processed Foods sector to deliberate on strategies for enhancing the export of Agricultural And Processed Food Products from India.

    The inaugural session of the Chintan Shivir was co- chaired by Shri Sunil Barthwal, Secretary of Department of Commerce, and Shri Subrata Gupta, Secretary of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). The session was also graced by the Special Secretary, Department of Commerce Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Smt. Varsha Joshi, and other senior officers of the Union and State governments, policymakers and industry leaders.

    In his opening remarks, Secretary of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Shri Subrata Gupta highlighted the importance of infrastructure development and value addition to ensure sustainable export growth. He emphasised that there is a need to develop infrastructure, Sanitary and Phytosanitary standards at par with international norms, tariff plans and more synergy between Union Government, State Government, various departments and Industry stakeholders. He identified key potential products and sectors for processed foods exports like Alcoholic Beverages, Nutraceuticals and Value-Added Products.

    The Special Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Rajesh Agrawal, emphasized the critical role of synergistic efforts among Union government, State Government, industry stakeholders and farming communities in realizing India’s agri-export potential. He emphasised on the need to have a more synergetic approach amongst various stakeholders to take new agriculture, processed food and Value Added Products to new geographies.

    This Chintan Shivir is a first, one of its kind collaborative dialogue facilitated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and APEDA with over 70 stakeholders from the Union Government, State Governments, Industry Leaders and Line Ministries at Vanijya Bhawan. 14 States from across the country namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal participated in the inaugural session. Industry Leaders of Agri and Processed Food sectors were represented by LT Foods, KRBL, Amul, Organic India, ITC, Meatzza, Suguna Foods, Kaybee, TPCI, Organic India, Allanasons, Fair exports, HMA exports, amongst others participated in the dialogue.  

    The Shivir was divided into five parallel technical breakout sessions focusing on specific Agri-Trade Commodities and Processed Food sector, as under:

    • Basmati and Non-Basmati Rice: engaged states such as Punjab, Haryana and Telangana as well as industry giants like LT Foods and KRBL. The discussion addressed export barriers, financial and policy support and branding strategies for Indian rice.
    • Animal Products: brought together key exporters and state representatives to identify value chain improvements and international compliance strategies.
    • Horticulture with participation from states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh as well as companies such as Kaybee, explored ways to enhance quality, improve logistics, and strengthen industry-academia linkages.
    • Processed Foods: involved stakeholders like Britannia and Haldiram’s focusing on value addition, regulatory streamlining and branding of Indian products globally.
    • Organic Products: discussed opportunities in expanding India’s footprint in global organic markets with contributions from Organic India, AMUL, ITC, and regulatory bodies like FSSAI.

    ****

    Abhishek Dayal/Abhijit Narayanan

    (Release ID: 2126702) Visitor Counter : 95

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme enhances awareness of occupational safety and health (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme enhances awareness of occupational safety and health  
         This year’s award scheme received an overwhelming response and achieved several breakthroughs. These included surpassing recent enrolment figures with participation from 259 construction sites. Among them, 101 sub-contractors and 172 safety teams competed for awards in two categories, namely “Construction Sites” and “Safety Teams”. Secondly, a new award, Lifting Operation Safety Innovation Award, was introduced in four sub-categories under the “Construction Sites” category, and additional marks were given to construction sites under the sub-category of “Building Sites (Private Sector)” who had joined the Smart Site Safety System Labelling Scheme, encouraging the construction industry to actively apply innovative technologies in OSH. Apart from the award presentation, a fun day was also held today, and a Parent-Child Safety Experience Zone was introduced for the first time, allowing children to operate child-friendly electric construction machinery in a small playground, planting the seeds of OSH in their minds and nurturing future guardians of workplace safety.
     
         Speaking at the ceremony, the Acting Commissioner for Labour, Mr Vincent Fung, said that there was another breakthrough in promoting safety within the scaffolding industry in addition to the aforementioned breakthroughs. After more than a year of efforts, the LD successfully facilitated cross-sectoral collaboration among the scaffolding industry, the insurance industry, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC). This collaboration led to the inclusion of the Truss-out Scaffolding trade as the 21st designated trade under the Registered Specialist Trade Contractors Scheme. Coupled with the support of the OSH Star Enterprise Scheme by the OSHC, scaffolding contractors can now obtain accreditations in their safety levels further, thereby reducing insurance premiums for scaffolding work. This accreditation will encourage property owners to select scaffolding contractors with recognised OSH standards and motivate scaffolding contractors to proactively enhance their safety standards.
     
         In recent years, the construction industry has made significant strides in the application of innovative technologies in OSH. The LD has also been promoting the use of these innovative technologies. The revised and now-effective Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces requires proprietors or contractors to adopt technology to record videos at the entrance and exit of confined spaces throughout the entire work period to monitor and ensure the implementation of safety control measures to prevent accidents.
     
         The LD will also put the use of small unmanned aircraft (SUA) on trial this year, serving as “sky eyes” to safeguard occupational safety. These SUAs will provide comprehensive assistance in OSH inspection, accident investigation and evidence collection, ensuring that non-compliant operations are exposed. In future, the LD will also collaborate with the OSHC to organise the second OSH Innovation and Technology Expo, aiming to help the industry access the latest advancements in innovation technologies for OSH.
     
         Inaugurated in 1999, the Construction Industry Safety Award Scheme is co-organised by the LD with 16 organisations, namely the OSHC, the Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board, the CIC, the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board, the Hong Kong Housing Society, the Property Management Services Authority, the Hong Kong Construction Association, the Hong Kong General Building Contractors Association, the Hong Kong Construction Sub-Contractors Association, the Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors Limited, the Minor Works Contractor Association, the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, and the Federation of Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical Industries Trade Unions. The results of the award scheme will be uploaded to the LD homepage later.
    Issued at HKT 18:15

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Men Charged After Evade Incident

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Men Charged After Evade Incident

    Saturday, 3 May 2025 – 2:47 pm.

    Two men have been charged with numerous offences following a protracted incident yesterday. Both men had been actively avoiding police and were arrested following the incident where they utilised two vehicles in an attempt to evade police. Today, they have been charged with a total of 60 offences.

    A 22 year old man with no fixed address has been charged with 35 separate charges including:
    1x Dangerous Driving
    2x Evade Police (aggravated circumstances)
    1x Aggravated assault
    1x Attempted Carjacking
    4x Drive whilst not the holder of a driver’s licence
    1x Computer related Fraud
    7x Motor Vehicle stealing
    1x Possess a controlled drug
    1x Unlawful possession of property
    1x Breach of interim Family Violence Order
    9x Breaches of bail
    2x Burglary
    1x Stealing
    1x Attempted stealing
    1x Destroy property
    1x Dangerous article in public place
    2x FTA Warrant
    1x Warrant First instance

    A 19 year old man from Herdsman Cove has been charged with 25 charges including:
    1x Motor vehicle stealing
    17x Breach of family violence order
    1x Possess a firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued.
    1x Possess ammunition when not the holder of the appropriate firearm licence.
    1x Breach of restraint order
    1x Breach of bail conditions
    1x Unlawfully possess dangerous article in a public place.
    1x Possess a controlled drug
    1x Dangerous article in public place

    Tasmania Police would like to thank the members of the public who have provided information to support the investigation.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Two men charged after Hobart evade incident

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Two men charged after Hobart evade incident

    Friday, 2 May 2025 – 3:52 pm.

    Two men have been charged with numerous offences following a protracted incident yesterday. Both men had been actively avoiding police and were arrested following the incident where they utilised two vehicles in an attempt to evade police. Today, they have been charged with a total of 60 offences.
    A 22 year old man with no fixed address has been charged with 35 separate charges including:1x Dangerous Driving2x Evade Police (aggravated circumstances)1x Aggravated assault1x Attempted Carjacking4x Drive whilst not the holder of a driver’s licence1x Computer related Fraud7x Motor Vehicle stealing1x Possess a controlled drug1x Unlawful possession of property1x Breach of interim Family Violence Order9x Breaches of bail2x Burglary1x Stealing1x Attempted stealing1x Destroy property1x Dangerous article in public place2x FTA Warrant1x Warrant First instance
    A 19 year old man from Herdsman Cove has been charged with 25 charges including:
    1x Motor vehicle stealing17x Breach of family violence order1x Possess a firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued.1x Possess ammunition when not the holder of the appropriate firearm licence.1x Breach of restraint order1x Breach of bail conditions1x Unlawfully possess dangerous article in a public place.1x Possess a controlled drug1x Dangerous article in public place
    Tasmania Police would like to thank the members of the public who have provided information to support the investigation.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Velázquez and Ocasio-Cortez Call on Secretary Kennedy to Reverse Job Cuts in San Juan Medical Products Laboratory

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

    Washington D.C. – Today, Representatives Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop the reduction in force (RIF) and reorganization plans at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) impacting FDA’s San Juan Medical Products Laboratory (SJNLMP).
     
    The SJNLMP is one of the few FDA-owned and operated facilities specializing in pharmaceutical drug analysis. It has evaluated and led to removal of thousands of adulterated products from the market that otherwise would have exposed American consumers to unsafe products. The laboratory also plays a critical role in ensuring that the drugs and medical products that are part of HHS’s Strategic National Stockpile remain safe and available for the nation’s armed forces and civilian populations during emergencies and conflicts.  
     
    According to constituents, on April 1, 2025, a RIF notice was distributed to the 20 laboratory employees and since then the laboratory has ceased operations.
     
    “Shutting down this laboratory is against your commitment to protect ‘essential services’ and ‘frontline jobs’ as doing so jeopardizes the safety of millions of Americans by weakening FDA’s ability to detect contaminated pharmaceuticals, respond to health emergencies, and safeguard national security,” wrote the lawmakers. “Additionally, this decision would eliminate over 20 highly skilled jobs in Puerto Rico.”
     
    Below is a selection of quotes from SJNLMP employees who received RIF notices. They have asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

    “April 1 was the worst day of my life — receiving the RIF notice shattered me,” SJNLMP employee said. “After years of dedication to public health, I felt abandoned, invisible, and heartbroken.”
     
    “Receiving the RIF notice felt like having the ground pulled from under us,” SJNLMP employee said. “After years of sacrifice and commitment to public health, it was devastating to be dismissed so suddenly, without acknowledgment of our work or our worth.”
     
    “Receiving the RIF notice was devastating and left me feeling discarded after years of dedicated public service,” SJNLMP employee said. “It created uncertainty, fear, and a deep sense of injustice. We were blindsided despite the critical role we played in protecting public health.”
     
    “When I received the RIF notice, I felt an overwhelming sense of shock and betrayal,” SJNLMP employee said. “It was heartbreaking to see our vital work disregarded so abruptly. The uncertainty about our future was deeply unsettling.”
     
    HHS’s RIF plans at SJNLMP will impact various FDA initiatives. Some are the  Health Fraud Program, which focuses on identifying and removing dietary supplements that are unsafe or advertised with misleading claims  from the market, the Shelf-Life Extension Program, which verifies the stability of SNS drugs and medical products, an existent Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to advance analytical methods for drug safety, and various Import and Surveillance Programs designed to monitor the safety of pharmaceutical imports.
     
    “We urge you to prioritize the health of the American people and the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply chain by ensuring that the San Juan Medical Products Laboratory remains fully staffed and operational,” wrote the lawmakers.

    “NTEU applauds Congresswoman Velázquez and other signatories for their leadership in urging the current administration to save the critically important FDA laboratory in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Keeping the essential work of this lab going forward is a matter of public health,  pharmaceutical safety, and American jobs.”—Doreen Greenwald, NTEU President

    “We support this Congressional letter, as the San Juan Medical Products Laboratory (SJNLMP) is essential for manufacturing in Puerto Rico and for quality processes. Losing a laboratory of this level represents a setback, given the equipment and the personnel with the required level of expertise.”—Dr. Jose A. Pérez Meléndez, President of Colegio de Químicos de Puerto Rico 2024–2025
     
    In addition to Velázquez and Ocasio-Cortez, the letter was signed by Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
     
    For a full copy of the letter, click here.
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah reviews the progress of National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Indian Seed Cooperative Society Limited (BBSSL)

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah reviews the progress of National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Indian Seed Cooperative Society Limited (BBSSL)

    Formed in 2023 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, these institutions are working as umbrella organizations with a “Whole of Government” approach

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation directs NCEL to explore new opportunities for export of sugar, aromatic rice of Tripura, organic cotton, and coarse grains from cooperative sugar mills

    Shri Amit Shah suggests partnership with big companies for export of fresh vegetables to Gulf countries and special potato varieties

    NCEL should work on the ambitious target of exporting three specific products worth ₹ 2 lakh crore which have never been exported before

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah says NCOL should work with the target of turnover of more than ₹ 300 crore in the financial year 2025-26

    BBSSL plays a vital role in strengthening India’s seed ecosystem – Shri Amit Shah

    Home Minister also stressed upon the need to work on sugarcane varieties with high sugar content and low water requirement

    BBSSL Centre set up at Kalol, Gujarat will develop high yielding, short maturity and low water requirement varieties of crops like pigeon pea, black gram, maize

    Setting up of tissue culture facility is imperative to ensure availability of plants of high genetic potential for top 10 banana producing states

    Posted On: 03 MAY 2025 9:53PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi to review the progress of National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Ltd (BBSSL). The meeting was attended by Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, senior officials of the Ministry, and Shri Anupam Kaushik, Shri Vipul Mittal and Shri Chetan Joshi (Managing Directors of NCEL, NCOL and BBSSL respectively).

    Addressing the meeting, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, these three national cooperative institutions were created by the Ministry of Cooperation with the approval of the Union Cabinet in 2023, with the aim to act as umbrella organizations for cooperative exports, organic production and promotion of quality seeds. He said that these are being operated under the ‘Whole of the Government’ approach in collaboration with the concerned Ministries/Departments/Agencies.

    To realize the vision of “Prosperity through Cooperation” of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, many initiatives and historic schemes have been started under the guidance of the Ministry of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, which is promoting the cooperative sector at a fast pace.

    NCEL (National Cooperative Exports Limited):

    Shri Amit Shah directed NCEL to explore new opportunities for export of sugar from cooperative sugar mills, aromatic rice of Tripura, organic cotton, and coarse grains. Shri Amit Shah also suggested possibilities of partnership with big companies for export of fresh vegetables to Gulf countries and special potato varieties.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation set an ambitious target of ₹2 lakh crore exports by NCEL of three new and specific products which are not currently being exported from India. Along with this, Shri Shah directed to route all exports of cooperative institutions through NCEL so that about ₹20,000-30,000 crore turnover and net profit after taxes and operating costs can go back to the cooperatives.

    Shri Amit Shah also suggested setting up of NCEL offices in Africa and Myanmar for pulses import and developing a dedicated website to enable cooperative members to understand the global demand and share their supply capacity.

    NCEL was set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and has made remarkable progress in its first year. In FY 2024-25, it gave membership to more than 10,000 cooperative institutions and achieved a turnover of ₹4,283 crore, with a net profit of ₹122 crore.

    NCEL has expanded its exports to 28 countries, with key products being: basmati and non-basmati rice, marine products (especially shrimp), coarse cereals, wheat, fruits and vegetables, animal products, spices and plantation products. It has also signed strategic agreements (MoUs) with 61 importers from Senegal, Indonesia and Nepal.

    NCOL (National Cooperative Organics Limited):

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the organic products procured by NCOL are also being supplied to big brands like Amul, Bigbasket, thereby providing more volume and cost advantage to the ‘Bharat Organics’ brand. Shri Amit Shah said that soon its products will be available in Reliance stores across India.

    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, 22 products under the ‘Bharat Organics’ brand are currently available in Delhi-NCR and there are plans to launch it in major metros. The products include cereals, pulses, spices and sweets products.

    Shri Amit Shah appreciated the efforts of NCOL and set a target of turnover of more than ₹300 crore in the financial year 2025-26. He has also directed to form groups of certified organic farmers at the state level and integrate them at a higher level.

    In the zero year of commercial operation in the financial year 2025-26 itself, NCOL has given membership to more than 7000 cooperatives in various categories and transacted a quantity of more than 1200 metric tonnes, which was procured from more than 2000 farmers. Its turnover so far has been ₹ 10.26 crores.

    The uniqueness of the brand lies in its ‘Authenticity & Sustainability’ approach, every product batch is being tested for pesticide residues as per ‘Organic India’ standards and the report is being shared with the consumers in the form of a QR code and this customer oriented initiative is being implemented for the first time in the industry.

    BBSSL (Indian Seeds Co-operative Society Limited):

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah underlined the important role of BBSSL in strengthening the seed ecosystem of India and said that it is imperative to establish tissue culture facility to ensure availability of plants of high genetic potential for top 10 banana producing states. He said that the recently established state-of-the-art BBSSL Centre at Kalol in Gujarat will work towards development of high yielding, low maturity and low water requirement varieties of crops like tur, urad, maize. He also emphasized the need to work on sugarcane variety with high sugar content and low water requirement. Shri Amit Shah has urged BBSSL to develop seeds of Lachka fodder crops for sale through NDDB and Amul network. Shri Amit Shah also emphasized on promoting seed production for processing varieties like potato especially for French fries under the Seed Production Programme for Processing Varieties. To ensure timely availability of breeder seeds, the Union Minister of Cooperation directed the Ministry of Cooperation to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure timely supply of required breeder seeds.

    The Minister appreciated the efforts of BBSSL and reiterated the Government’s commitment to empower agricultural cooperatives through innovation, quality inputs and institutional support.

    ———

    RK/VV/RR/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2126629) Visitor Counter : 77

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government Prohibits Import of All Goods Originating in or exported from Pakistan to India

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 03 MAY 2025 3:20PM by PIB Delhi

    The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has issued a notification prohibiting import of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan to India.

    This will prohibit import of goods from Pakistan directly or through any other trade route.

    The directive, issued via Notification No. 06/2025-26 dated 2nd May 2025, has come into effect immediately.  A new paragraph, Para 2.20A, has been inserted in the FTP 2023:

      “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders. This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy.”

    The detailed notification is available on the DGFT website at https://dgft.gov.in.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas

    (Release ID: 2126458) Visitor Counter : 30

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: No KYC, Double Deposit Bonus, $50 Welcome Bonus, and 100x Leverage Crypto Trading on BexBack

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the price of Bitcoin surpassing the $95,000 mark, many analysts believe that Bitcoin will enter a long-term high volatility market. Holding spot positions may not be consistently profitable in the short term. BexBack exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 new user welcome bonus, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled trading opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $60,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $63,000, your profit will be (63,000 – 60,000) * 100 BTC / 60,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP,and 50+ others futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC and 1M USDT in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com 

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. he statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2bc597a9-d5a5-4c87-a7c9-4a408b15d2eb

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f84970b5-5af6-4121-b977-32af58005274

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9c80d988-e506-4489-96d7-36281b8d5f26

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d2d8511-5e7b-4888-a795-8e6d0ce1b248

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Atlantic Council delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-05-01
    President Lai meets Japan’s LDP Youth Division delegation
    On the morning of May 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Youth Division. In remarks, President Lai thanked the guests for demonstrating support for deepening Taiwan-Japan ties through concrete actions. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan can continue to conduct exchanges in such areas as national defense, the economy, education, culture, sports, and the arts so that bilateral relations reach even greater heights. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I want to welcome our distinguished guests, who include Diet members in the LDP Youth Division and guests from Junior Chamber International (JCI) Japan, to the Presidential Office. It is also a pleasure to see LDP Youth Division Director Nakasone Yasutaka, House of Representatives Member Hiranuma Shojiro, and House of Councillors Member Kamiya Masayuki again today. I look forward to discussions with all our distinguished guests. The LDP Youth Division and JCI Japan have once again demonstrated support for deepening Taiwan-Japan ties through concrete actions. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I also want to thank the LDP Youth Division for launching a fundraising campaign to help those affected by the earthquake in Hualien County on April 3 last year. LDP Youth Division members will be important leaders in Japan’s political arena in the future. Taiwan deeply values our exchanges with the Youth Division and hopes to bring about concrete results from such exchanges. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are critical to the security and prosperity of the world, and Taiwan and Japan can work together to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo and Kishida Fumio, and current Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru have repeatedly stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Taiwan is deeply grateful to Japan’s current and former prime ministers for their concern and support for this issue. Taiwan and Japan can also cooperate in industry and the economy. As our industries are complementary, further cooperation can create win-win outcomes. In the semiconductor industry, for instance, Taiwan’s strengths lie in manufacturing, while Japan’s strengths lie in materials, equipment, and technology. If we work together, the semiconductor industry is sure to see even more robust development. In addition to the economy and national defense, Taiwan and Japan can also conduct exchanges in such areas as education, culture, sports, and the arts. Our countries have long shared deep ties – Director Nakasone’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro, was stationed in Taiwan and lived in what is now the Mingde New Residential Quarter of Kaohsiung City’s Zuoying District. I am confident that on the basis of our already solid foundations, Taiwan-Japan relations can reach even greater heights. Director Nakasone then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for finding time in his busy schedule to meet with the visiting delegation. He said that the LDP Youth Division sends a visiting delegation to Taiwan each year and is always granted the opportunity to meet with the president, demonstrating his high regard for the delegation, for which the director again expressed his gratitude. He remarked that he, together with House of Representatives Member Suzuki Keisuke, visited Taiwan last July, and that whenever he visits Taiwan, it feels as if he is returning home. Director Nakasone recalled President Lai’s earlier remarks, saying that he hopes the young people of Taiwan and Japan can fully engage in exchanges in the areas of national defense, the economy, culture, education, and the arts. The director said he believes that in today’s complex and difficult international situation, such directives are necessary. This is especially so, he emphasized, during United States President Donald Trump’s second term, when things once taken for granted are no longer so, and when the global economy is undergoing significant changes. Director Nakasone expressed his full support for strengthening Taiwan and Japan’s practical and strategic cooperation. He said he believes each side will be able to benefit from such cooperation and hopes that exchanges will progress toward shared goals. He pointed out that, as maritime nations, Taiwan and Japan share the goals of protecting the ocean and using marine resources wisely, goals that we ought to cooperate on and devote our full efforts to. The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are critical to the peace and stability of East Asia and even the world, he said, so we must ensure that the world and its leaders recognize this point, and Japan will do its utmost to advocate for it. Director Nakasone said, on the topic of semiconductors, that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s new fab in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has made the area very lively, adding that the Japanese government is providing more than 1.25 trillion yen in subsidies. Moving forward, the Japanese government plans to inject an additional 10 trillion yen, he said, to aid in the development of AI and other fields. Noting that Taiwan and Japan both excel in semiconductors, he expressed his hope that each can give free rein to its strengths to produce an even greater effect. Director Nakasone said that despite Taiwan’s facing formidable internal and external circumstances, it saw 4.6 percent economic growth last year under President Lai’s strong leadership, and it continued to promote measures to enhance overall societal resilience, all of which is admirable. In closing, the director thanked President Lai once again for taking the time to meet with them. Also in attendance were Japanese House of Representatives Members Nemoto Taku and Fukuda Kaoru, and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-29
    President Lai meets NBR delegation  
    On the morning of April 29, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). In remarks, President Lai stated that as Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defense of global democracy, we are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, demonstrating our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. The president said he hopes to further advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the United States. He also expressed hope that this will help boost economic resilience for both sides and establish each as a key pillar of regional security, elevating our relations to even higher levels. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to meet with Admiral John Aquilino again today. I also warmly welcome NBR President Michael Wills and our distinguished guests from the bureau to Taiwan. I look forward to exchanging views with you all on Taiwan-US relations and the regional situation. During his tenure as commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Aquilino placed much attention on the Taiwan Strait issue. And the NBR has conducted a wealth of research and analysis focusing on matters of regional security. Thanks to all of your outstanding contributions and efforts, the international community has gained a better understanding of the role Taiwan plays in the Indo-Pacific region and in global democratic development. For this, I want to extend my deepest gratitude. Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defending global democracy and is located at a strategically important location in the first island chain. We are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, building economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and standing side-by-side with the democratic community to jointly demonstrate the strength of deterrence and safeguard regional peace and stability. At the beginning of this month, I announced an increase in military allowances for volunteer service members and combat troops. The government will also continue to reform national defense and enhance self-sufficiency in defense. In addition, we will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. These efforts continue to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and demonstrate our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. As we mark the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, we thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan and strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership over the years. We believe that, in addition to engaging in military exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan and the US can build an even closer economic and trade relationship, boosting each other’s economic resilience and establishing each as a key pillar of regional security. I expect that your continued assistance will help advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the US, elevating our relations to even higher levels. Once again, I welcome our distinguished guests to Taiwan and wish you a pleasant and successful trip. I hope that through this visit, you gain a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s economy and national defense. Admiral Aquilino then delivered remarks, thanking the Ministry of National Defense for the invitation and President Lai for receiving and spending time with them. Mentioning that this is his second visit in five months, he said he continues to be incredibly impressed with the president’s leadership and the actions he has taken to secure Taiwan and defend its people. Admiral Aquilino said that he has watched the efforts of the ministers on whole-of-society defense to demonstrate deterrence and added that the pace of the work is nothing short of inspiring. Admiral Aquilino noted that Taiwan’s thriving democracy is incredibly important to the peace and stability of the region. He stated that he, alongside the NBR, will continue to offer support, noting that President Wills and his team are an asset to Taiwan and the US that helps continue our close relationship and ensure peace and stability in the region.  

    Details
    2025-04-28
    President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae
    On the afternoon of April 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. The president expressed hope that in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides, and jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Takaichi as she returns for another visit to Taiwan. I am also very happy to have Members of the House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi and Ozaki Masanao, and Member of the House of Councillors Sato Kei all gathered together here to engage in these very important exchanges. Our visitors will be taking part in many exchange activities during this trip. Earlier today at the Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank’s International Political and Economic Forum, Representative Takaichi delivered a speech in which she clearly demonstrated the great importance she places upon the friendship between Taiwan and Japan. For this I want to express my deepest appreciation to each of our guests. The peoples of Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship and mutual trust. We have a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, but beyond that, we both have striven to contribute to regional peace and stability. I also want to thank the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Tomorrow you will all make a trip to Kaohsiung to visit a bronze statue of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who once said, “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” We will always remember the firm support and friendship he showed Taiwan. Since taking office last year, I have worked hard to improve Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience and implement our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. By strengthening our national defense capabilities, building up economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and deepening partnerships with democratic countries including Japan, we can together maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, we hope that Taiwan and Japan, as important economic and trade partners, can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that further enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides. Going forward, Taiwan will work hard to play an important role in the international community and contribute its key strengths. I hope that, with the support of our guests, Taiwan can soon accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan so that we can jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Lastly, I thank each of you once again for taking concrete action to support Taiwan. I am confident that your visit will help deepen Taiwan-Japan ties and create even greater opportunities for cooperation. Let us all strive together to keep propelling Taiwan-Japan relations forward.  Representative Takaichi then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and Taiwanese political leaders for the warm hospitality they extended to the delegation, and mentioning that the visiting delegation members are all like-minded partners carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. July 8 this year will mark the third anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, she said, and when the former prime minister unfortunately passed away, President Lai, then serving as vice president, was among the first to come offer condolences, for which she expressed sincere admiration and gratitude. Representative Takaichi stated that Taiwan and Japan are island nations that face the same circumstances and problems, and that Japan’s trade activities rely heavily on ocean transport, so once a problem arises nearby that threatens maritime shipping lanes, it will be a matter of life and death for Japan. Taiwan and Japan are similar, as once a problem arises, both will face food and energy security issues, and supply chains may even be threatened, she said. Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Representative Takaichi stated that both sides must first protect and strengthen supply chain resilience. President Lai has previously said that he wants to turn Taiwan into an AI island, she said, and in semiconductors, Taiwan has the world’s leading technology. Representative Takaichi went on to say that Taiwan and Japan can collaborate in the fields of AI and semiconductors, quantum computing, and dual-use industries, as well as in areas such as drones and new energy technologies to build more resilient supply chains, so that if problems arise, we can maintain our current standard of living with peace of mind. Representative Takaichi indicated that cooperation in the defense sector is also crucial, and that by uniting like-minded countries including Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, and even countries in Europe, we can build a stronger network to jointly maintain our security guarantees. Representative Takaichi expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen substantive non-governmental relations, including personnel exchange visits and information sharing, so that we can jointly face and respond to crises when they arise. Regarding the hope to sign a Taiwan-Japan EPA that President Lai had mentioned earlier, she also expressed support and said she looks forward to upcoming exchanges and talks. The visiting delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
    On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Executive Session to Consider Commerce, Treasury Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at an executive session to consider the nominations of William Kimmitt to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and Kenneth Kies to serve as the Assistant Treasury Secretary for Tax Policy.
    As prepared for delivery:
    “We meet today to consider favorably reporting the nominations of William Kimmitt, who is nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and Kenneth Kies, who is nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department.
    “The meeting this morning will provide members with the opportunity to make remarks on the nominees.  We will notify members of a time and location later today to conduct the vote. 
    “During his hearing, Mr. Kimmitt spoke about his mission to ensure the International Trade Administration (ITA) is a champion for American workers and industries, and to promote a trade policy that is guided by a strategic understanding of our national interest.  I look forward to working with him, if confirmed, to accomplish these goals.
    “Turning now to Mr. Kies, who has decades of experience in the tax policy world.  Mr. Kies spoke about the importance of permanently extending and building on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to prevent a more than $4 trillion tax hike and deliver certainty and stability to American families and businesses, as well as provide additional middle-class tax relief.
    “Mr. Kies, if confirmed, will be a valuable partner in our efforts to deliver on President Trump’s economic agenda.
    “I will be voting in favor of both nominations, and I encourage all my colleagues on the Committee to do the same.
    “I now recognize Ranking Member Wyden for his remarks.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Super antibodies’ for snake toxins: how a dangerous DIY experiment helped scientists make a new antivenom

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina N. Zdenek, Associate Researcher, The University of Queensland

    Scientists in the United States have created a new snake antivenom using the blood of a man who deliberately built up immunity to snakebites by injecting himself with many different kinds of venom more than 800 times over 18 years.

    The researchers showed “super antibodies” from the man’s blood prevented toxic damage from neurotoxins found in the venoms of 19 different snake species, including mambas and cobras.

    The new study may represent a welcome advance in antivenom production. Most current techniques are more than a century old and involve injecting venom into horses and other animals, then harvesting antibodies from their blood.

    Even so, new treatments are only part of the challenge of addressing the huge global problem of snakebites, which kill and maim hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year.

    How was this new antivenom made?

    Tim Friede describes himself as an “autodidact herpetologist and venom expert”. He deliberately immunised himself with increasing doses of a number of snake venoms over an 18-year period, in a risky practice known as “mithridatism” that we don’t recommend. Some issues include: Friede nearly died several times, and immunity can drop in weeks.

    Scientists took a small sample of Friede’s blood and isolated the antibodies his immune system had developed to counteract the venoms. Next, they determined which of the antibodies were broadly effective against two important types of neurotoxins found in the venoms of elapid snakes, a family of species including cobras, mambas, and taipans.

    The next step was to sequence the DNA from Friede’s b-cells (a type of immune cell) that produced those two antibodies, then insert the genes responsible into a kind of virus called a bacteriophage. Then, using the modified bacteriophage and human cells as mini factories, the researchers produced lots of the antibodies to use in their work.

    How is antivenom usually made?

    Antivenom is currently the only specific treatment available for snakebites. It is usually produced by first collecting venom (which is dangerous), then “hyper-immunising” a domesticated animal (such as a horse) by routinely injecting it with small but increasing doses of that venom.

    Christina Zdenek and Chris Hay extracting venom from a coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus).
    Russell Shakespeare

    The horse’s blood is extracted and its antibodies purified. The antibodies can then be injected into a snakebite victim, where they stick to toxins. This prevents the toxins from binding to targets in the body, and it also flags them for elimination by the immune system.

    Traditional antivenoms have their problems. They can cause a severe allergic response known as an anaphylactic reaction (up to 50% of the time, in some countries). They may also have limited effectiveness due to differences in venom composition in snakes from different regions, or at different stages of the snake’s life.

    Broad-spectrum or “polyvalent” antivenoms are made by injecting horses with mixtures of venom from different species or different populations of snakes. However, the elevated antibody content per dose can increase the risk of adverse reactions.

    Another challenge with mixed antivenoms is that some toxins that produce a strong immune response can suppress the production of antibodies against other equally dangerous toxins.

    Why has it taken so long to improve antivenom production?

    Antivenom production is not presently a very profitable business. The expenses are huge, there is limited economy of scale, the effectiveness of antivenoms can be geographically specific, and the products have a short shelf-life and may have strict refrigeration requirements.

    Snakebite is also a disease of poverty. The people most affected are those least able to afford treatment.

    In Australia, the government has been supporting onshore antivenom production since 2020.

    Christina Zdenek retrieves snake venoms from a freezer for antivenom tests in the lab.
    Russell Shakespeare

    How else can we treat snakebite?

    In the past decade, more precise, ethical, and potentially cost-effective methods of producing snakebite therapeutics have emerged. These include monoclonal antibodies produced in the lab, as well as more conventional drugs.

    For example, varespladib is one drug that has progressed to phase II clinical trials. It works extremely well against a major component found in many snake venoms worldwide.

    Hybrid products containing “designer antibodies” and inhibitors like varespladib may be the future of snakebite treatment.

    The new “universal elapid antivenom” is in many ways an improvement on traditional antivenoms. However, there are still several deadly toxins present in elapid snake venoms it does not address, such as the coagulotoxin (blood-attacking) prothrombinase found in the venom of eastern brown snakes and taipans.

    Why do we need antivenom?

    Many people around the world live with the daily threat of being bitten by a venomous snake. Farmers, graziers, children walking barefoot to school, and many rural and remote workers in tropical and subtropical region, are at risk.

    The World Health Organisation deems snakebite a neglected tropical disease. It kills one person roughly every four minutes. As many as 2.7 million people are bitten annually, resulting in up to 138,000 deaths and around 400,000 people permanently maimed.

    An eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) passes through a suburban backyard in eastern Australia.
    Chris Hay

    Will this new medicine reduce snakebite deaths?

    When it comes to reducing the number of people who die from snakebite, novel snakebite treatments are undoubtedly important. However, developing new drugs is the relatively easy part of the problem.

    A drug is only as good as your capacity to deliver it when and where it’s needed. For snakebites, time is short and locations may be remote.

    Several antivenoms available in Australia.
    Christina N. Zdenek

    Far more attention and resources need to be devoted to all aspects of health infrastructure in the tropics, including the availability and distribution of life-saving medicines.

    Prevention is also critical. Reducing the number of snakebites will reduce the burden on health infrastructure by saving lives and limbs.

    To achieve this, we need far more resources devoted to research on snake behaviour, snake ecology, human–snake interactions, and public education about snakes. Snakebite is the result of an ecological encounter between two organisms, and we know disappointingly little about the circumstances in which it occurs.

    Christina N. Zdenek co-owns and works for the Australian Reptile Academy, a Queensland-based company that provides venomous-snake identification and handling courses for industry and the public.

    Timothy N.W. Jackson is co-head of the Australian Venom Research Unit, which has previously received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Department of Health, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    – ref. ‘Super antibodies’ for snake toxins: how a dangerous DIY experiment helped scientists make a new antivenom – https://theconversation.com/super-antibodies-for-snake-toxins-how-a-dangerous-diy-experiment-helped-scientists-make-a-new-antivenom-255611

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Consumers switch to local products and value alternatives amid rising tariffs and price pressures, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Consumers switch to local products and value alternatives amid rising tariffs and price pressures, says GlobalData

    Posted in Consumer

    In an increasingly complex global landscape shaped by inflation, rising tariffs, and political volatility, consumer behavior is undergoing a profound transformation. Cost-of-living pressures and trade policy disruptions are not only fueling economic anxiety but also prompting tangible shifts in how and why consumers shop. These forces are accelerating a move toward value-driven decision-making, increased scrutiny of product origin, and a growing preference for local alternatives, according to the Q1 2025 consumer survey* by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Concerns over trade-related inflation are widespread. More than half (56%) of global consumers say they are “extremely” or “quite concerned” about the impact of trade wars and import tariffs on the prices of the products they buy. This concern is even more pronounced in countries directly affected by US trade policy, including Canada (66%) and Mexico (62%). Despite being at the center of trade friction, China stands out for its lower levels of concern, with 40% of respondents saying they are not worried about tariffs, highlighting regional differences in public perception and economic insulation.

    Prerana Manral, Senior Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “These concerns are not abstract. They are driving tangible changes in consumer behavior across everyday categories such as food, drinks, toiletries, clothing, and homewares. According to the survey, 54% of consumers are now checking or comparing prices online before making a purchase, and 47% are switching to cheaper brand alternatives.

    “Private labels are seeing a notable rise, with 33% of consumers saying they are buying more store-owned brands to manage costs. Additionally, 38% of shoppers are turning to discount retailers or cheaper outlets, while nearly one-third (32%) have stopped buying certain products altogether because they have become too expensive.”

    Manral continues: “Trade policy is no longer just an economic lever; it’s a force that is reshaping everyday consumer choices. What we’re seeing is a structural shift in how people engage with brands and pricing. Consumers are now making sharper, more value-conscious decisions, and many are actively abandoning higher-priced products or stores.”

    Beyond pricing responses, the survey highlights a growing ideological and environmental awareness in consumer preferences, particularly around product origin. On average, 68% of the respondents globally say they prefer to buy local products: 67% cite price, or 65% say environmental friendliness, as the main reasons, while 71% say they do so to support local brands.

    Political sentiment is also playing an influential role, with 58% of global consumers* reporting that recent political events have made them more attentive to the country of origin of products they purchase. This intersection of cost-consciousness and conscious consumerism is emerging as a powerful force in a politically volatile economy. While affordability remains the entry point, values such as environmental impact and national loyalty are increasingly determining purchasing behavior.

    Manral concludes: “As consumers increasingly respond to rising tariffs and price pressures by shifting toward local products and value-driven alternatives, FMCG companies must recognize this as a long-term behavioral shift rather than a temporary adjustment. To remain competitive and relevant, brands should invest in localized sourcing and production, expand affordable and private-label offerings, and strengthen communication around value, sustainability, and origin.”

    *GlobalData 2025 Q1 global consumer survey, 22,000 respondents across 42 countries

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Northfield Capital Engages Independent Trading Group As Market Maker

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northfield Capital Corporation (TSX-V: NFD.A) (“Northfield” or the “Corporation”), a proudly Canadian investment company, announces that, subject to regulatory approval, it has engaged the services of Independent Trading Group (“ITG”) to provide market-making services in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”). ITG will trade shares of the Corporation on the TSXV and all other trading venues with the objective of maintaining a reasonable market and improving the liquidity of the Corporation’s shares.

    Under the agreement, ITG will receive compensation of CAD$5,000 per month, payable monthly in advance. The agreement is for an initial term of six months and will renew for additional one-month terms unless terminated. The agreement may be terminated by either party with 30 days’ notice to the other party. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and ITG will not receive shares, options or any other securities of the Corporation as compensation. ITG and the Corporation are at arm’s length and are unrelated and unaffiliated entities, and at the time of the agreement, neither ITG nor its principals have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Corporation.

    About Independent Trading Group

    Independent Trading Group (ITG) Inc. is a Toronto based CIRO dealer-member that specializes in market making, liquidity provision, agency execution, ultra-low latency connectivity, and bespoke algorithmic trading solutions. Established in 1992, with a focus on market structure, execution and trading, ITG has leveraged its own proprietary technology to deliver high quality liquidity provision and execution services to a broad array of public issuers and institutional investors.

    About Northfield Capital Corporation

    Northfield Capital Corporation is a publicly traded, leading Canadian investment firm with deep roots in resources, mining, aviation, and premium alcoholic beverages. Founded in 1981 by Robert D. Cudney, Northfield combines decades of experience with forward-thinking strategies to unlock opportunities across its diverse portfolio. Northfield is dedicated to fostering growth and innovation in businesses that drive economic prosperity in Canada. For more information, visit northfieldcapital.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    Michael G. Leskovec, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    Email: info@northfieldcapital.com
    Telephone: (416) 628-5940

    Forward-Looking Information

    Forward-looking information is included in this news release. Forward-looking information is identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “predict”, “project”, “will”, “would”, and “should” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Such forward-looking information may involve but are not limited to, statements with respect to the engagement of ITG, including the duration of such engagement. Forward-looking information, by their nature, are based on assumptions and are subject to important risks and uncertainties. Any forecasts, predictions or forward-looking information cannot be relied upon due to, among other things, changing external events and general uncertainties of the business and its corporate structure. Results indicated in forward-looking information may differ materially from actual results for a number of reasons. The forward-looking information contained herein are subject to change. However, Northfield disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Monopoly Busters Chairs Statement on Apple Ruling

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Angie Craig (MN-02), Chairs of the Monopoly Busters Caucus, released the following statement regarding U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers holding Apple accountable for anticompetitive conduct.

    “For years, Apple has restricted consumer choice by charging an exorbitant fee on developers who sell apps to customers on Apple’s app store. In 2021, the court found that this fee violated unfair competition laws, and it ordered Apple to allow customers to purchase apps directly on developers’ websites at a cheaper price. 

    “Instead of following that directive, Apple doubled down on its illegal behavior. It continued to impose a hefty fee and actively discouraged customers from paying for apps outside the app store. When confronted in court, an Apple executive outright lied about it under oath.

    “American consumers deserve better than this corporate power run amok. They deserve a digital economy that benefits them rather than billionaires who control it, and allows freedom of choice, innovation, and real competition. Today’s ruling is a step in the right direction and sends a strong message that Big Tech companies cannot rip off consumers without facing consequences. 

    “We also saw House Republicans withdraw their proposal to eliminate the Federal Trade Commission — an agency that has brought monumental lawsuits against Facebook, Amazon, and other large corporations to lower costs and promote competition and should never have been threatened in the first place. We look forward to seeing this work continue to finally crack down on corporate monopolies that harm small businesses, raise prices on consumers, and stifle the innovation that has made our country an economic powerhouse.”

    The Monopoly Busters Caucus brings together Members of Congress to fight corporate power and build a fair economy that works for hardworking Americans, workers, and small businesses. 

    Issues: Science, Technology, & Antitrust

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 124 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 124 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week:

    • On April 28, Jose Maria Murillo Estrada, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Federal Officers and reentry after deportation. According to a complaint, the assault happened after Murillo attempted to make entry into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro Port of Entry by running through vehicle primary lanes and was intercepted by officers.
    • On April 27, Emma Alejandra Medina, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Medina was captain of a boat that was transporting eight undocumented immigrants on San Diego Bay.
    • On April 26, Jorge Alexandro Tellez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Tellez was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection officers after he attempted to cross the border in his vehicle in the San Ysidro Port of Entry’s SENTRI lane with 286 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in all four doors, the seats, the spare tire, the tailgate, and in multiple tool bags located inside the vehicle.

    Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:

    • On May 1, Juan Morales-Lopez, a Mexican national who was last deported in November 2024 and immediately returned on December 10th, was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in custody consecutive to 12 months custody for violating the terms of his supervised released for his earlier illegal entry conviction, for a total of 30 months in custody. Morales-Lopez has 10 illegal entry felony convictions in total and has been removed from the United States a total of 35 times.
    • On May 1, Jose Ramon Ochoa-Monteverde, a Mexican national living in the United States on a Visa, was sentenced in federal court to 84 months in custody for his role as a coordinator and courier for a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico, Imperial Valley, and the Central District of California. In one instance, Ochoa-Monteverde loaded a tractor trailer with duffel bags containing 106.38 kilograms of methamphetamine at a truck stop in Brawley, CA.
    • On April 28, Alejandro Gutierrez-Aguilar, who was previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute in 2014, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.

    Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Unlicensed D.C. Row House Sentenced in the Deaths of Two People in Fatal Kennedy Street Fire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – James G. Walker, 67, of the District, was sentenced today to more than 35 years in prison for the Aug. 2019 row house fire that caused the deaths of Fitsum Kebede and Yafet Solomen. This case was jointly tried by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Brian L. Schwalb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division Anthony Spotswood, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr.

    Walker was found guilty of second-degree murder and multiple criminal building code violations on Feb. 20, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelmen sentenced Walker to five years of supervised release.

    According to the government’s evidence, Walker owned commercial property located at 708 Kennedy St., NW.  Walker did not have a certificate of occupancy for the building and the structure was in violation of several fire safety codes. Walker operated the building as an illegal “rooming house.” Some of the building’s rooms were too small to be considered habitable space, some had no windows, and the defendant failed to install or maintain functional smoke alarms throughout the building, including the basement. The most egregious violation, however, was the failure to provide an unobstructed means to escape the property, which included erecting multiple security gates that required keys from both sides, the worst offense being a double-keyed security gate installed within the property that blocked access from the kitchen to the front door. Importantly, the defendant had received specific warnings on March 21, 2019, from the Metropolitan Police Department, that the building was in violation of several building codes specifically related to fire safety and hazardous conditions. He was instructed to correct the conditions and have the building inspected for residential use but did nothing.  

    On the morning of Aug. 18, 2019, a fire erupted in the basement of 708 Kennedy St. Three tenants were present at the time of the fire. Fitsum Kebede, 40, and Yafet Solomen, 10, were in the basement and were unable to exit the premises. They subsequently died from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. The government’s evidence was that the defendant’s knowledge of the danger posed by the conditions of the property and his conscious disregard of the extreme risk that death or serious bodily injury could occur were the but-for cause of the deaths of the decedents.   

    In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, ATF Special Agent in Charge Spotswood, MPD Chief Smith, and Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly, commended the work of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force that investigated the case, including MPD, ATF, and Fire and EMS. They also credited the work of Homicide Section Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke, Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory IT Specialists Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce, IT Project Manager Deon Williams, Supervisory IT Specialist Giovanni Harrison, Support Services Supervisor Alvon Brown, and Legal Assistant Patricia Wills Gonzalez. In addition, they congratulated and thanked DC Fire Department Battalion Chief Stephen Faulkner; Habtom Tekle and Jimmie Drummond of Drummond Projects.

    Additionally, they thanked the Office of the Attorney General team of Elizabeth Wieser, Peter Saba, Jose Marrero, and John Roberts for their support in this joint trial. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Vinet Bryant, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Cargill and Assistant Attorney General Keith Ingram who prosecuted the case.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: Buy $XDX Tokens Now Before XenDex Presale Ends Soon, as XRP Market Heats Up

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As excitement grips the XRP community following recent breakthroughs including ProShares’ XRP Futures ETF approval, Brazil’s XRP Spot ETF rollout, and the SEC’s lawsuit withdrawal, all eyes are now on XenDex, the decentralized platform designed to power the next phase of DeFi on the XRP Ledger.

    The $XDX presale has officially passed its soft cap, and with the final allocation now live, investors are rushing to secure their tokens before the presale closes and before prices climb again.

    Buy XDX on XenDex

    Why Buy $XDX Tokens Now?

    XenDex isn’t just another DEX, it’s a fully integrated, all-in-one DeFi platform built natively on XRPL. The $XDX token serves as the core utility and governance asset of the ecosystem, offering real functionality and long-term value.

    $XDX Token Use Cases Include:

    • Governance Rights – Vote on listings, upgrades, protocol decisions
    • Lending & Borrowing Utility – Collateralize $XDX or earn interest through the XenDex lending protocol
    • Staking & Yield Farming – Earn passive income from liquidity contributions
    • Fee Discounts – Enjoy lower trading, lending, and borrowing fees
    • Early Access – Get priority access to Launchpad, AI tools, and partner projects
    • Airdrop Eligibility – Unlock future rewards for long-term holders

    Join XDX Presale

    What Does XenDex Offer On The XRP Ledger?

    XenDex brings modern DeFi tools to XRPL for the first time in one seamless experience:

    • AI-Powered Copy Trading – Mirror elite trader strategies in real time
    • Non-Custodial Lending & Borrowing – Lend or borrow XRP and $XDX tokens securely
    • Cross-Chain Trading – Swap XRP with assets on Solana, BNB Chain, Ethereum, and more
    • Staking & Yield Farming – Supply liquidity to earn rewards
    • DAO Governance – True community control of platform evolution

    $XDX Presale Details (Final Phase)

    • Current Rate: 1.25 XRP = 10 XDX
    • Minimum Buy: 150 XRP
    • Soft Cap: Filled
    • Listing Price: Expected to be higher after presale ends

    Join the Presale Now Before It Ends: https://xendex.net/presale

    Listings on some top exchanges like Binance, Gate, MEXC, Bitmart, FirtsLedger, MagnetiX etc will bring massive exposure and global trading access, making this your final chance to buy before mainstream entry.

    Visit Official XenDex Platforms:

    Website: https://xendex.net
    Presale: https://xendex.net/presale
    Telegram: https://t.me/xendexcommunity
    Twitter/X: https://x.com/xendex_xrp
    Docs: https://xdxdocs.gitbook.io

    Contact:
    Frank Richards
    Frank@xendex.net

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post provided by XenDex. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b5dad94-1fb6-44d4-9ef0-979778882734

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Discusses Impact Of Trump’s Tariffs On Chicago Small Businesses Owners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    May 02, 2025
    CHICAGO— U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined small business owners in Lincoln Park to discuss the impacts of President Trump’s tariffs.
    “The Trump Tariffs are already driving up costs for manufacturers, disrupting our supply chains, and inspiring retaliatory tariffs, which will hurt small businesses like Lori’s Shoes, Art Effect, and Lost Soul Found, as well as their customers,” said Durbin. “President Trump has doubled down on these tariffs with nothing to show for it. Our small businesses here in Chicago are terrified to fail or be forced to lay off employees as they face the brunt of this trade war.”
    “The premise that the tariffs are making America rich, and the origin pays for the import tariff, is unequivocally false. A tariff is a tax on American businesses and American consumers. To set the record straight – the importer of record, in this case Lori’s Shoes, is 100% financially responsible for these tariffs on our imports,” said Matt Andre, Footwear Buyer, Lori’s Shoes.
    “The uncertainty of the future of small business in the United States and the livelihood of manufacturers is hanging on these tariffs. As a small business owner, we rely on these imports. I worry that come Christmastime, we’ll have empty shelves and empty storefronts in our community,” said Esther Fishman, Owner, Art Effect.
    “As a city retailer, I know how much we all love strolling down a vibrant street, popping into unique shops, and discovering something unexpected—it’s part of what makes urban life feel alive. But that experience is under real threat. Tariffs, rising costs, and economic uncertainty are making it harder for small businesses to survive, and if we’re not careful, the rich variety we cherish could be replaced by empty storefronts and sameness,” said Suzanne D’Addario Brouder, Owner, Lost Soul Found.
    In the wake of Trump’s tariff standoff, manufacturers have laid off thousands of workers, and foreign countries have retaliated by slapping their own tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods. Current tariffs could result in up to 15,000 job cuts in the Chicago area and a $3 billion drop in its gross domestic product. 
    Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the impact President Trump’s tariffs will have on small businesses, manufacturers, consumers, and workers in Illinois, which received $127 billion of imports from China, Canada, and Mexico in 2023. Durbin also joined fellow U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture member U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 17 of their colleagues in a letter to ask U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer for information on how the Trump Administration’s tariffs will impact farmers across the nation.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –